Jethro Tull | ||
| Allmusic Biography : Jethro Tull were a unique phenomenon in popular music history. Their mix of hard rock, folk melodies, blues licks, surreal, impossibly dense lyrics, and overall profundity defied easy analysis, but that didnt dissuade fans from giving them 11 gold and five platinum albums. At the same time, critics rarely took them seriously, and they were off the cutting-edge of popular music by the end of the 70s. But no record store in the country would want to be without multiple copies of each of their most popular albums (Benefit, Aqualung, Thick as a Brick, Living in the Past), or their various best-of compilations, and few would knowingly ignore their newer releases. Of their contemporaries, only Yes could claim a similar degree of success, and Yes had endured several major shifts in sound and membership by the 90s, while Tull remained remarkably stable over the same period. As co-founded and led by wildman/flutist/guitarist/singer/songwriter Ian Anderson, the group carved a place all its own in popular music. Tull had their roots in the British blues boom of the late 60s. Anderson (b. Aug. 10, 1947, Edinburgh, Scotland) had moved to Blackpool when he was 12. His first band was called the Blades, named after James Bonds club, with Michael Stephens on guitar, Jeffrey Hammond-Hammond (b. July 30, 1946) on bass, and John Evans (b. Mar. 28, 1948) on drums, playing a mix of jazzy blues and soulful dance music on the Northern club circuit. In 1965, they changed their name to the John Evan Band (Evan having dropped the "s" in his name at Hammonds suggestion) and later the John Evan Smash. By the end of 1967, Glenn Cornick (b. Apr. 24, 1947, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England) had replaced Hammond-Hammond on bass. The group moved to Luton in order to be closer to London, the center of the British blues boom, and the band began to fall apart when Anderson and Cornick met guitarist/singer Mick Abrahams (b. Apr. 7, 1943, Luton, Bedfordshire, England) and drummer Clive Bunker (b. Dec. 12, 1946), who had previously played together in the Toggery Five and were now members of a local blues band called McGregors Engine. In December of 1967, the four of them agreed to form a new group. They began playing two shows a week, trying out different names, including Navy Blue and Bag of Blues. One of the names that they used, Jethro Tull, borrowed from an 18th century farmer/inventor, proved popular and memorable, and it stuck. In January of 1968, they cut a rather derivative pop-folk single called "Sunshine Day," released by MGM Records (under the misprinted name Jethro Toe) the following month. The single went nowhere, but the group managed to land a residency at the Marquee Club in London, where they became very popular. Early on, they had to face a problem of image and configuration, however. In the late spring of 1968, managers Terry Ellis and Chris Wright (who later founded Chrysalis Records) first broached the idea that Anderson give up playing the flute and allow Mick Abrahams to take center stage. At the time, a lot of blues enthusiasts didnt accept wind instruments at all, especially the flute, as seminal to the sound they were looking for, and as a group struggling for success and recognition, Jethro Tull were just a little too strange in that regard. Abrahams was a hardcore blues enthusiast who idolized British blues godfather Alexis Korner, and he was pushing for a more traditional band configuration, which wouldve put him and his guitar out front. As it turned out, they were both right. Abrahams blues sensibilities were impeccable, but the audience for British blues by itself couldnt elevate Jethro Tull any higher than being a top club act. Andersons antics on-stage, jumping around in a ragged overcoat and standing on one leg while playing the flute, and his use of folk sources as well as blues and jazz, gave the band the potential to grab a bigger audience and some much-needed press attention. They opened for Pink Floyd on June 29, 1968, at the first free rock festival in Londons Hyde Park, and in August they were the hit of the Sunbury Jazz & Blues Festival in Sunbury-on-Thames. By the end of the summer, they had a recording contract with Island Records. The resulting album, This Was, was issued in November. By this time, Anderson was the dominant member of the group on-stage, and at the end of the month Abrahams exited the band. The group went through two hastily recruited and rejected replacements, future Black Sabbath guitarist Tony Iommi (who was in Tull for a week, just long enough to show up in their appearance on the Rolling Stones Rock N Roll Circus extravaganza), and Davy OList, the former guitarist with the Nice. Finally, Martin Barre (b. Nov. 17, 1946), a former architecture student, was the choice for a permanent replacement. It wasnt until April of 1969 that This Was got a U.S. release. Ironically, the first small wave of American Jethro Tull fans were admiring a group whose sound had already changed radically; in May of 1969, Barres first recording with the group, "Living in the Past," reached the British number three spot and the group made its debut on Top of the Pops performing the song. The group played a number of festivals that summer, including the Newport Jazz Festival. Their next album, Stand Up, with all of its material (except "Bourée," which was composed by Johann Sebastian Bach) written by Ian Anderson, reached the number one spot in England the next month. Stand Up also contained the first orchestrated track by Tull, "Reasons for Waiting," which featured strings arranged by David Palmer, a Royal Academy of Music graduate and theatrical conductor who had arranged horns on one track from This Was. Palmer would play an increasingly large role in subsequent albums, and finally join the group officially in 1977. Meanwhile, "Sweet Dream," issued in November, rose to number seven in England, and was the groups first release on Wright and Ellis newly formed Chrysalis label. Their next single, "The Witchs Promise," got to number four in England in January of 1970. The groups next album, Benefit, marked their last look back at the blues, and also the presence of Andersons longtime friend and former bandmate John Evan -- who had long since given up the drums in favor of keyboards -- on piano and organ. Benefit reached the number three spot in England, but, much more important, it ascended to number 11 in America, and its songs, including "Teacher" and "Sossity; Youre a Woman," formed a key part of Tulls stage repertory. In early July of 1970, the group shared a bill with Jimi Hendrix, B.B. King, and Johnny Winter at the Atlanta Pop Festival in Byron, Georgia, before 200,000 people. By the following December, after another U.S. tour, Cornick had decided to leave the group, and was replaced on bass by Andersons childhood friend Jeffrey Hammond-Hammond. Early the following year, they began working on what would prove to be, for many fans, the groups magnum opus, Aqualung. Andersons writing had been moving in a more serious direction since the groups second album, but it was with Aqualung that he found the lyrical voice hed been seeking. Suddenly, he was singing about the relationship between man and God, and the manner in which -- in his view -- organized religion separated them. The blues influences were muted almost to nonexistence, but the hard rock passages were searing and the folk influences provided a refreshing contrast. That the album was a unified whole impressed the more serious critics, while the kids were content to play air guitar to Martin Barres high-speed breaks. And everybody, college prog rock mavens and high-school time-servers alike, seemed to identify with the theme of alienation that lay behind the music. Aqualung reached number seven in America and number four in England, and was accompanied by a hugely successful American tour. Bunker quit the band to get married, and was replaced by Andersons old John Evan Smash bandmate Barriemore Barlow (b. Sept. 10, 1949). Late in 1971, they began work on their next album, Thick as a Brick. Structurally more ambitious than Aqualung, and supported by an elaborately designed jacket in the form of a newspaper, this record was essentially one long song steeped in surreal imagery, social commentary, and Andersons newly solidified image as a wildman-sage. Released in England during April of 1972, Thick as a Brick got as high as the number five spot, but when it came out in America a month later, it hit the number one spot, making it the first Jethro Tull album to achieve greater popularity in America than in England. In June of 1972, in response to steadily rising demand for the groups work, Chrysalis Records released Living in the Past, a collection of tracks from their various singles and British EPs, early albums, and a Carnegie Hall show, packaged like an old-style 78-rpm album in a book that opened up. At this point, it seemed as though Jethro Tull could do no wrong, and for the fans that was true. For the critics, however, the groups string ran out in July of 1973 with the release of A Passion Play. The piece was another extended song, running the length of the album, this time steeped in fantasy and religious imagery far denser than Aqualung; it was divided at the end of one side of the album and the beginning of the other by an A.A. Milne-style story called "The Hare That Lost His Spectacles." This time, the critics were hostile toward Anderson and the group, attacking the album for its obscure lyrical references and excessive length. Despite these criticisms, the album reached number one in America (yielding a number eight single edited from the extended piece) and number 13 in England. The real venom, however, didnt start to flow until the group went on tour that summer. By this time, their sets ran to two-and-a-half hours, and included not only the new album done in its entirety ("The Hare That Lost His Spectacles" being a film presentation in the middle of the show), but Thick as a Brick and the most popular of the groups songs off of Aqualung and their earlier albums. Anderson was apparently unprepared for the searing reviews that started appearing, and also took the American rock press too seriously. In the midst of a sold-out U.S. tour, he threatened to cancel all upcoming concerts and return to England. Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed, especially once he recognized that the shows were completely sold out and audiences were ecstatic, and the tour continued without interruption. It was 16 months until the groups next album, War Child -- conceived as part of a film project that never materialized -- was released, in November of 1974. The expectations surrounding the album gave it pre-order sales sufficient to get it certified gold upon release, and it was also Tulls last platinum album, reaching number two in America and number 14 in England. The dominant theme of War Child seemed to be violence, though the musics trappings heavily featured Palmers orchestrations, rivaling Barres electric guitar breaks for attention. In any case, the public seemed to respond well to the groups return to conventional length songs, with "Bungle in the Jungle" reaching number 11 in America. Tulls successful concert tour behind this album had them augmented by a string quartet. During this period, Anderson became involved with producing an album by Steeleye Span, a folk-rock group that was also signed to Chrysalis, and who had opened for Tull on one of their American tours. Their music slowly began influencing Andersons songwriting over the next several years as the folk influence grew in prominence, a process that was redoubled when he took up a rural residence during the mid-70s. The next Tull album, Minstrel in the Gallery, showed up ten months later, in September of 1975, reaching number seven in the United States. This time, the dominant theme was Elizabethan minstrelsy, within an electric rock and English folk context. The tracks included a 17-minute suite that recalled the groups earlier album-length epic songs, but the albums success was rather more limited. The Jethro Tull lineup had been remarkably stable ever since Clive Bunkers exit after Aqualung, remaining constant across four albums in as many years. In January of 1976, however, Hammond-Hammond left the band to pursue a career in art. His replacement, John Glascock (b. 1953), joined in time for the recording of Too Old to Rock n Roll, Too Young to Die, an album made up partly of songs from an unproduced play proposed by Anderson and Palmer, released in May of 1976. The group later did an ITV special built around the albums songs. The title track, however (on which Steeleye Spans Maddy Prior appeared as a guest backing vocalist), became a subject of controversy in England, as critics took it to be a personal statement on Andersons part. In late 1976, a Christmas EP entitled Ring Out Solstice Bells got to number 28. This song later turned up on their next album, Songs from the Wood, the groups most artistically unified and successful album in some time (and the first not derived from an unfinished film or play since A Passion Play). This was Tulls folk album, reflecting Andersons passion for English folk songs. Its release also accompanied the bands first British tour in nearly three years. In May of 1977, David Palmer joined Tull as an official member, playing keyboards on-stage to augment the richness of the groups concert sound. Having lasted into the late 70s, Jethro Tull now found themselves competing in a new musical environment, as journalists and, to an increasing degree, fans became fixated on the growing punk rock phenomenon. In October 1977, Repeat (The Best of Jethro Tull, Vol. 2), intended to fill an anticipated 11-month gap between Tull albums, was released on both sides of the Atlantic. Unfortunately, it contained only a single new track and never made the British charts, while barely scraping into the American Top 100 albums. The groups next new album, Heavy Horses, issued in April of 1978, was Andersons most personal work in several years, the title track expressing his regret over the disappearance of Englands huge shire horses as casualties of modernization. In the fall of 1978, the groups first full-length concert album, the double-LP Bursting Out: Jethro Tull Live, was released to modest success, accompanied by a tour of the United States and an international television broadcast from Madison Square Garden. The year 1979 was pivotal and tragic for the group. John Glascock died from complications of heart surgery on November 17, five weeks after the release of Stormwatch. Tull was lucky enough to acquire the services of Dave Pegg, the longtime bassist for Fairport Convention, who had announced their formal (though, as it turned out, temporary) breakup. The Stormwatch tour with the new lineup was a success, although the album was the first original release by Jethro Tull since This Was not to reach the U.S. Top 20. Partly thanks to Peggs involvement with the Tull lineup, future tours by Jethro Tull, especially in America, would provide a basis for performances by re-formed incarnations of Fairport Convention. The lineup change caused by Glascocks death led to Andersons decision to record a solo album during the summer of 1980, backed by Barre, Pegg, and Mark Craney on drums, with ex-Roxy Music/King Crimson multi-instrumentalist Eddie Jobson on violin. The record, A, was eventually released as a Jethro Tull album in September of 1980, but even the Tull name didnt do much for its success. Barlow, Evan, and Palmer, however, were dropped from the groups lineup with the recording of A, and the new version of Jethro Tull toured in support of the album. Jobson left once the tour was over, and it was with yet another new lineup -- including Barre, Pegg, and Fairport Convention alumnus Gerry Conway (drums) and Peter-John Vettesse (keyboards) -- that The Broadsword and the Beast was recorded in 1982. Although this album had many songs based on folk melodies, its harder rocking passages also had a heavier, more thumping beat than earlier versions of the band had produced, and the use of the synthesizer was more pronounced than on previous Tull albums. In 1983, Anderson confined his activities to his first official solo album, Walk Into Light, which had a very different, synthesizer-dominated sound. Following its lackluster performance, Anderson revived Jethro Tull for the album Under Wraps, released in September of 1984. At number 76 in the U.S., it became the groups poorest-selling album, partly a consequence of Andersons developing a throat infection that forced the postponement of much of their planned tour. No further Tull albums were to be released until Crest of a Knave in 1987, as a result of Andersons intermittent throat problems. In the meantime, the group appeared on a German television special in March of 1985, and participated in a presentation of the groups work by the London Symphony Orchestra. To make up for the shortfall of new releases, Chrysalis released another compilation, Original Masters, a collection of highlights of the groups work, in October of 1985. In 1986, A Classic Case: The London Symphony Orchestra Plays the Music of Jethro Tull was released on record; and Crest of a Knave performed surprisingly well when it was issued in September of 1987, reaching number 19 in England and number 32 in America with the support of a world tour. Crest of a Knave was something of a watershed in Tulls later history, though nobody would have guessed it at the time of its release. Although some of its songs displayed the groups usual folk/hard rock mix, the group was playing louder than usual, and tracks like "Steel Monkey" had a harder sound than any previous record by the group. In 1988, Tull toured the United States as part of the celebration of the bands 20th anniversary. In July, Chrysalis issued 20 Years of Jethro Tull, a 65-song box set covering Tulls history up to that time, containing most of their major songs and augmented with outtakes and radio performances. In February of 1989, the band won the Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance for Crest of a Knave. Suddenly, they were stars again, and being declared as relevant by one of the top music awards in the industry, a fact that kept critics buzzing for months over whether the group deserved it before finally attacking the voting for the Grammy Awards and the membership of its parent organization, the National Association of Recording Arts and Sciences. Rock Island, another hard-rocking album, reached a very healthy number 18 in England during September of the same year, while peaking only at 56 in America, despite a six-week U.S. tour to support the album. In 1990, the album Catfish Rising did less well, reaching only 27 in England and 88 in America after its release in September. And A Little Light Music, their own "unplugged" release, taped on their summer 1992 European tour, only got to number 34 in England and 150 in the United States. Despite declining numbers, Tull continued performing to good-sized houses when they toured, and the groups catalog performed extremely well. In April of 1993, Chrysalis released a four-CD 25th Anniversary Box Set -- evidently hoping that most fans had forgotten the 20th anniversary set issued five years earlier -- consisting of remixed versions of their hits, live shows from across their history, and a handful of new tracks. Meanwhile, Anderson continued to write and record music separate from the group on occasion, most notably Divinities: Twelve Dances with God, a classically oriented solo album (and a distinctly non-Tull one) on EMIs classical Angel Records. The band issued the worldbeat-infused Roots to Branches in 1995, followed by the similarly themed J-Tull.Dot.Com in 1999, the latter of which was the groups 20th studio outing. Released in 2003, Jethro Tull Christmas Album, a collection of holiday songs both old and new, turned out to be the groups biggest seller since Crest of a Knave, though it would also be the groups last official album. In 2012 Anderson released a sequel to Thick as a Brick (Thick as a Brick 2). It was followed in 2014 by another Thick as a Brick-related collection of new material, Homo Erraticus, his sixth solo outing. That same year Anderson announced that for the foreseeable future, he would be issuing all his music under his own name. His first such release was A Classic Case: The London Symphony Orchestra Plays the Music of Jethro Tull. Conducted by David Palmer, it featured the orchestra alongside a rock band playing the bands hits. Anderson followed it with The String Quartets in early 2017 -- offering chamber arrangements of his former bands hits. Back in 2011, Anderson asked Steven Wilson to remix Aqualung for release in a deluxe multiple-disc edition for its 40th anniversary. The critical and commercial success of that project inspired the pair to work together on a series of boxed, multi-disc catalog reissues including Stand Up, Minstrel in the Gallery, War Child, A Passion Play, Too Old to Rock n Roll, Too Young to Die, Thick as a Brick, Songs of the Wood, and Heavy Horses. | ||
 | Album: 1 of 50 Title: This Was Released: 1968-10-25 Tracks: 10 Duration: 38:18 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 My Sunday Feeling (03:42) 2 Some Day the Sun Won’t Shine for You (02:48) 3 Beggar’s Farm (04:20) 4 Move on Alone (01:58) 5 Serenade to a Cuckoo (06:11) 6 Dharma for One (04:15) 7 It’s Breaking Me Up (05:04) 8 Cat’s Squirrel (05:43) 9 A Song for Jeffrey (03:23) 10 Round (00:48) |
| This Was : Allmusic album Review : Jethro Tull was very much a blues band on their debut album, vaguely reminiscent of the Graham Bond Organization only more cohesive, and with greater commercial sense. The revelations about the groups roots on This Was -- which was recorded during the summer of 1968 -- can be astonishing, even 30 years after the fact. Original lead guitarist Mick Abrahams contributed to the songwriting and the singing, and his presence as a serious bluesman is felt throughout, often for the better: "Some Day the Sun Wont Shine for You," an Ian Anderson original that could just as easily be credited to Big Bill Broonzy or Robert Johnson; "Cats Squirrel," Abrahams big showcase, where he ventures into Eric Clapton territory; and "Its Breaking Me Up," which also features some pretty hot guitar from Abrahams. Roland Kirks "Serenade to a Cuckoo" (the first song Anderson learned to play on flute), their jazziest track ever, is one of the best parts of the album. The drum solo on "Dharma for One" now seems like a mistake, but is understandable in the context of the time in which it was done. The one number here that everybody knows, "A Song for Jeffrey," almost pales amid these surroundings, but at the time it was a superb example of commercial psychedelic blues. This would be the last album of its kind by the group, as Abrahams departure and the lure of more fertile inspiration tugged them toward English folk music. Curiously, the audio mix here is better than that on their second album, with a much stronger, harder group sound overall. In late 2001, This Was was reissued in a remastered edition with much crisper sound and three bonus tracks. The jazzy improvisation "One for John Gee" (a reference to the manager of the Marquee Club), the folky "Love Story" (which marked the end of Mick Abrahams tenure with the group), and the novelty piece "Christmas Song" have all been heard before but, more to the point, theyre worth hearing again, especially in the fidelity they have here. | ||
 | Album: 2 of 50 Title: Stand Up Released: 1969-08-01 Tracks: 17 Duration: 1:01:37 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 A New Day Yesterday (04:11) 2 Jeffrey Goes to Leicester Square (02:13) 3 Bourée (03:48) 4 Back to the Family (03:54) 5 Look Into the Sun (04:37) 6 Nothing Is Easy (04:27) 7 Fat Man (02:52) 8 We Used to Know (04:04) 9 Reasons for Waiting (04:07) 10 For a Thousand Mothers (04:19) 11 Living in the Past (03:25) 12 Driving Song (02:50) 13 Bourée (Morgan version) (04:18) 14 Living in the Past (1969 stereo single mix) (03:27) 15 Driving Song (1969 stereo single mix) (02:48) 16 Living in the Past (1969 mono single mix) (03:26) 17 Driving Song (1969 mono single mix) (02:51) |
| Stand Up : Allmusic album Review : The groups second album, with Anderson (vocals, flute, acoustic guitars, keyboards, balalaika), Martin Barre (electric guitar, flute), Clive Bunker (drums), and Glen Cornick (bass), solidified the groups sound. There is still an element of blues, but except for "A New Day Yesterday," it is far more muted than on their first album, as Mick Abrahams blues stylings are largely absent from Martin Barres playing. The influence of folk music also began to manifest itself ("Look Into the Sun"). The instrumental "Bouree," which couldve been an early Blood, Sweat & Tears track, became a favorite concert number, although at this point Andersons flute playing on-stage needed a lot of work; by his own admission, he just wasnt that good. Bassist Cornick would last through only one more album, but he gets his best moments here, on "Bouree." As a story song with opaque lyrics and jarring tempo changes, "Back to the Family" is the forerunner to Thick as a Brick. The only major flaw in this album is the mix, which divides the electric and acoustic instruments and fails to find a solid center. The LP comes with a "pop-up" jacket interior. | ||
 | Album: 3 of 50 Title: Benefit Released: 1970-04-20 Tracks: 10 Duration: 43:11 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 With You There to Help Me (06:17) 2 Nothing to Say (05:12) 3 Inside (03:48) 4 Son (02:50) 5 For Michael Collins, Jeffrey and Me (03:48) 6 To Cry You a Song (06:14) 7 A Time for Everything? (02:43) 8 Teacher (03:58) 9 Play in Time (03:48) 10 Sossity; You’re a Woman (04:30) |
| Benefit : Allmusic album Review : Benefit was the album on which the Jethro Tull sound solidified around folk music, abandoning blues entirely. Beginning with the opening number, "With You There to Help Me," Anderson adopts his now-familiar, slightly mournful folksinger/sage persona, with a rather sardonic outlook on life and the world; his acoustic guitar carries the melody, joined by Martin Barres electric instrument for the crescendos. This would be the model for much of the material on Aqualung and especially Thick as a Brick, although the acoustic/electric pairing would be executed more effectively on those albums. Here the acoustic and electric instruments are merged somewhat better than they were on Stand Up (on which it sometimes seemed like Barres solos were being played in a wholly different venue), and as needed, the electric guitars carry the melodies better than on previous albums. Most of the songs on Benefit display pleasant, delectably folk-like melodies attached to downbeat, slightly gloomy, but dazzlingly complex lyrics, with Barres guitar adding enough wattage to keep the hard rock listeners very interested. "To Cry You a Song," "Son," and "For Michael Collins, Jeffrey and Me" all defined Tulls future sound: Barres amp cranked up to ten (especially on "Son"), coming in above Andersons acoustic strumming, a few unexpected changes in tempo, and Anderson spouting lyrics filled with dense, seemingly profound imagery and statements. As on Stand Up, the group was still officially a quartet, with future member John Evan (whose John Evan Band had become the nucleus of Jethro Tull two years before) appearing as a guest on keyboards; his classical training proved essential to the expanding of the groups sound on the three albums to come. Benefit was reissued in a remastered edition with bonus tracks at the end of 2001, which greatly improved the clarity of the playing and the richness of the sound; the four additional tracks are "Singing All Day," "Witchs Promise," the elegant, gossamer-textured "Just Trying to Be," and the original U.K. mix of "Teacher." Written and recorded prior to Benefit, theyre all lighter in mood than the material from the original album, adding some greater variety but fitting in perfectly on a stylistic level. | ||
 | Album: 4 of 50 Title: Aqualung Released: 1971-03-19 Tracks: 11 Duration: 43:31 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Aqualung (06:37) 2 Cross‐Eyed Mary (04:09) 3 Cheap Day Return (01:23) 4 Mother Goose (03:53) 5 Wond’ring Aloud (01:55) 6 Up to Me (03:15) 7 My God (07:12) 8 Hymn 43 (03:19) 9 Slipstream (01:13) 10 Locomotive Breath (04:26) 11 Wind‐Up (06:05) |
| Aqualung : Allmusic album Review : The leap from 1970s Benefit to the following years Aqualung is one of the most astonishing progressions in rock history. In the space of one album, Tull went from relatively unassuming electrified folk-rock to larger-than-life conceptual rock full of sophisticated compositions and complex, intellectual, lyrical constructs. While the leap to full-blown prog rock wouldnt be taken until a year later on Thick as a Brick, the degree to which Tull upped the ante here is remarkable. The lyrical concept -- the hypocrisy of Christianity in England -- is stronger than on most other 70s conceptual efforts, but its ultimately the music that makes it worthy of praise. Tulls winning way with a riff was never so arresting as on the chugging "Locomotive Breath," or on the character studies "Cross Eyed Mary" and "Aqualung," which portray believably seedy participants in Ian Andersons story. The fable imagery of "Mother Goose" and the vitriolic anti-authoritarian sentiments of "Wind Up" both serve notice of Andersons willful iconoclasm and his disillusionment with the spiritual traditions to which he was born. Varied but cohesive, Aqualung is widely regarded as Tulls finest hour. | ||
 | Album: 5 of 50 Title: Thick as a Brick Released: 1972-02-18 Tracks: 2 Duration: 43:40 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Thick as a Brick, Part 1 (22:36) 2 Thick as a Brick, Part 2 (21:03) |
| Thick as a Brick : Allmusic album Review : Jethro Tulls first LP-length epic is a masterpiece in the annals of progressive rock, and one of the few works of its kind that still holds up decades later. Mixing hard rock and English folk music with classical influences, set to stream-of-consciousness lyrics so dense with imagery that one might spend weeks pondering their meaning -- assuming one feels the need to do so -- the group created a dazzling tour de force, at once playful, profound, and challenging, without overwhelming the listener. The original LP was the best-sounding, best-engineered record Tull had ever released, easily capturing the shifting dynamics between the soft all-acoustic passages and the electric rock crescendos surrounding them. | ||
 | Album: 6 of 50 Title: Living in the Past Released: 1972-06-27 Tracks: 19 Duration: 1:14:35 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Song for Jeffrey (03:23) 2 Love Story (03:06) 3 Christmas Song (03:08) 4 Living in the Past (03:21) 5 Driving Song (02:43) 6 Sweet Dream (04:04) 7 Singing All Day (03:05) 8 Witch’s Promise (03:50) 9 Inside (03:43) 10 Just Trying to Be (01:37) 11 By Kind Permission Of (live) (10:16) 12 Dharma for One (live) (10:14) 13 Wond’ring Again (04:14) 14 Locomotive Breath (04:26) 15 Life Is a Long Song (03:20) 16 Up the ’Pool (03:13) 17 Dr. Bogenbroom (03:01) 18 For Later (02:08) 19 Nursie (01:35) |
| Living in the Past : Allmusic album Review : Listen to this collection, put together to capitalize on the explosive growth in the groups audience after Aqualung, and its easy to understand just how fine a group Jethro Tull was in the early 70s. Most of the songs, apart from a few heavily played album tracks ("Song for Jeffrey," etc.) and a pair of live tracks from a 1970 Carnegie Hall show, came off of singles and EPs that, apart from the title song, were scarcely known in America, and its all so solid that it needs no apology or explanation. Not only was Ian Anderson writing solid songs every time out, but the groups rhythm section was about the best in progressive rocks pop division. Along with any of the groups first five albums, this collection is seminal and essential to any Tull collection, and the only compilation by the group that is a must-own disc. | ||
 | Album: 7 of 50 Title: A Passion Play Released: 1973-07-06 Tracks: 1 Duration: 45:05 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 A Passion Play (45:05) |
| A Passion Play : Allmusic album Review : Jethro Tulls second album-length composition, A Passion Play is very different from -- and not quite as successful as -- Thick as a Brick. Ian Anderson utilizes reams of biblical (and biblical-sounding) references, interwoven with modern language, as a sort of a rock equivalent to T.S. Eliots The Wasteland. As with most progressive rock, the words seem important and profound, but their meaning is anyones guess ("The ice-cream lady wet her drawers, to see you in the Passion Play..."), with Anderson as a dour but engaging singer/sage (who, at least at one point, seems to take on the role of a fallen angel). It helps to be aware of the framing story, about a newly deceased man called to review his life at the portals of heaven, who realizes that life on Earth is preferable to eternity in paradise. But the music puts it over successfully, a dazzling mix of old English folk and classical material, reshaped in electric rock terms. The band is at its peak form, sustaining the tension and anticipation of this album-length piece across 45 minutes, although the music runs out of inspiration about five minutes before it actually ends. | ||
 | Album: 8 of 50 Title: War Child Released: 1974-10-14 Tracks: 17 Duration: 1:05:42 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 War Child (04:34) 2 Queen and Country (03:01) 3 Ladies (03:19) 4 Back‐Door Angels (05:29) 5 Sealion (03:37) 6 Skating Away on the Thin Ice of the New Day (04:12) 7 Bungle in the Jungle (03:37) 8 Only Solitaire (01:39) 9 The Third Hoorah (04:51) 10 Two Fingers (05:19) 11 Warchild Waltz (04:21) 12 Quartet (02:44) 13 Paradise Steakhouse (04:01) 14 Sealion 2 (03:20) 15 Rainbow Blues (03:38) 16 Glory Row (03:33) 17 Saturation (04:21) |
| War Child : Allmusic album Review : War Child was Jethro Tulls first album after two chart-toppers, Thick as a Brick and A Passion Play, and was one of those records that was a hit the day it was announced (it was certified platinum based on pre-orders, the last Tull album to earn platinum record status). It never made the impression of its predecessors, however, as it was a return to standard-length songs following two epic-length pieces. It was inevitable that the material would lack power, if only because the opportunity for development that gave Thick as a Brick and A Passion Play some of their power. Additionally, the music was no longer quite able to cover for the obscurity of Tulls lyrics ("Two Fingers" being the best example). The title track is reasonably successful, but "Queen and Country" seems repetitive and pointless. "Ladies," by contrast, is one of Tulls folk-based pieces, and one of the prettiest songs on the record, beautifully sung and benefiting from some of Andersons best flute playing to date. The band is very tight but doesnt really get to show its stuff until "Back-Door Angels," after which the album picks up. "Sealion" is one of Andersons pseudo-philosophical musings on life, mixing full-out electric playing and restrained orchestral backing in a manner that recalls Thick as a Brick. "Skating Away on the Thin Ice of a New Day" is a beautiful, largely acoustic number that was popular in concert, but "Bungle in the Jungle," with a title that went over well, got most of the radio play. "The Third Hoorah" is really a follow-up to "War Child," and opens with one of the prettiest progressions on a folk tune in Tulls repertory, with some lovely harpsichord from John Evan evolving into a powerful rock number with a surprising orchestral break and what has to be the most successful appearance of bagpipes in a mainstream rock song. | ||
 | Album: 9 of 50 Title: Minstrel in the Gallery Released: 1975-09-05 Tracks: 31 Duration: 2:33:50 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Minstrel in the Gallery (08:16) 2 Cold Wind to Valhalla (04:17) 3 Black Satin Dancer (06:52) 4 Requiem (03:43) 5 One White Duck / 0¹⁰ = Nothing at All (04:39) 6 Baker St. Muse: Baker St. Muse (05:09) 7 Baker St. Muse: Pig‐Me and the Whore (01:30) 8 Baker St. Muse: Nice Little Tune (01:09) 9 Baker St. Muse: Crash‐Barrier Waltzer (03:09) 10 Baker St. Muse: Mother England Reverie (05:45) 11 Grace (00:36) 12 Summerday Sands (03:44) 13 Requiem (early version) (03:42) 14 One White Duck (take 5) (02:26) 15 Grace (take 2) (00:40) 16 Minstrel in the Gallery (BBC version) (08:27) 17 Cold Wind to Valhalla (BBC version) (04:21) 18 Aqualung (BBC version) (08:01) 1 Introduction (The Beach Part II) [Palais Des Sports, Paris, 5th July 1975] (00:55) 2 Wind Up (Palais Des Sports, Paris, 5th July 1975) (03:01) 3 Critique Oblique (Palais Des Sports, Paris, 5th July 1975) (04:05) 4 Wond’ring Aloud (Palais Des Sports, Paris, 5th July 1975) (05:16) 5 My God (including; God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen / Bouree / Quartet/Living in the Past / My God (reprise) (Palais Des Sports, Paris, 5th July 1975) (11:34) 6 Cross-Eyed Mary (Palais Des Sports, Paris, 5th July 1975) (04:05) 7 Minstrel in the Gallery (Palais Des Sports, Paris, 5th July 1975) (09:23) 8 Skating Away (on the Thin Ice of the New Day) (Palais Des Sports, Paris, 5th July 1975) (04:39) 9 Bungle in the Jungle (Palais Des Sports, Paris, 5th July 1975) (03:17) 10 Aqualung (Palais Des Sports, Paris, 5th July 1975) (09:41) 11 Guitar Improvisation (Palais Des Sports, Paris, 5th July 1975) (03:29) 12 Back-Door Angels (Palais Des Sports, Paris, 5th July 1975) (06:06) 13 Locomotive Breath (Palais Des Sports, Paris, 5th July 1975) (11:50) |
| Minstrel in the Gallery : Allmusic album Review : Minstrel in the Gallery was Tulls most artistically successful and elaborately produced album since Thick as a Brick and harked back to that album with the inclusion of a 17-minute extended piece ("Baker Street Muse"). Although English folk elements abound, this is really a hard rock showcase on a par with -- and perhaps even more aggressive than -- anything on Aqualung. The title track is a superb showcase for the group, freely mixing folk melodies, lilting flute passages, and archaic, pre-Elizabethan feel, and the fiercest electric rock in the groups history -- parts of it do recall phrases from A Passion Play, but all of it is more successful than anything on War Child. Martin Barres attack on the guitar is as ferocious as anything in the bands history, and John Evans organ matches him amp for amp, while Barriemore Barlow and Jeffrey Hammond-Hammond hold things together in a furious performance. Andersons flair for drama and melody come to the fore in "Cold Wind to Valhalla," and "Requiem" is the loveliest acoustic number in Tulls repertory, featuring nothing but Andersons singing and acoustic guitar, Hammond-Hammonds bass, and a small string orchestra backing them. "Nothing at All" isnt far behind for sheer, unabashed beauty, but "Black Satin Dancer" is a little too cacophonous for its own good. "Baker Street Muse" recalls Thick as a Brick and A Passion Play, not only in its structure but a few passages; at slightly under 17 minutes, its a tad more manageable than either of its conceptual predecessors, and it has all of their virtues, freely overlapping hard rock and folk material, classical arrangements (some of the most tasteful string playing on a Tull recording), surprising tempo shifts, and complex stream-of-consciousness lyrics (some of which clearly veer into self-parody) into a compelling whole. | ||
 | Album: 10 of 50 Title: M.U.: The Best of Jethro Tull Released: 1976-01-09 Tracks: 11 Duration: 43:39 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Teacher (03:53) 2 Aqualung (06:37) 3 Thick as a Brick (edit #1) (03:00) 4 Bungle in the Jungle (03:39) 5 Locomotive Breath (04:37) 6 Fat Man (02:52) 7 Living in the Past (03:25) 8 A Passion Play (edit #8) (03:29) 9 Skating Away on the Thin Ice of the New Day (04:00) 10 Rainbow Blues (03:39) 11 Nothing Is Easy (04:23) |
| M.U.: The Best of Jethro Tull : Allmusic album Review : M.U. falls into the classic example of a compilation that is bound to irritate the dedicated yet will satisfy the needs of less devoted listeners. Since Jethro Tull is a prog rock band that made cohesive concept albums, there will always be an audience that will believe it is impossible to assemble a coherent anthology, but the fact of the matter is, the group had a lot of songs that were staples on album rock radio and M.U. simply compiles those tracks for listeners who dont want to invest in a series of concept records. Besides, the resulting compilation is an entertaining listen, thanks to such genre classics as "Aqualung," "Thick as a Brick," "Bungle in the Jungle," "Locomotive Breath," "Living in the Past," and "A Passion Play." These are the songs that define Tull for both hardcore and casual fans, and thats the reason why M.U. remains a popular and useful compilation, even if it isnt definitive. | ||
 | Album: 11 of 50 Title: Too Old to Rock ’n’ Roll: Too Young to Die! Released: 1976-04-23 Tracks: 10 Duration: 42:24 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Quizz Kid (05:09) 2 Crazed Institution (04:46) 3 Salamander (02:51) 4 Taxi Grab (03:58) 5 From a Deadbeat to an Old Greaser (04:09) 6 Bad-Eyed and Loveless (02:12) 7 Big Dipper (03:35) 8 Too Old to Rock n Roll; Too Young to Die (05:40) 9 Pied Piper (04:33) 10 The Chequered Flag (Dead or Alive) (05:26) |
| Too Old to Rock ’n’ Roll: Too Young to Die! : Allmusic album Review : This album was summarily dismissed by reviewers, who universally invoked their handbooks of hackneyed "critic speak." Cop-out terms like "indulgent" and "pretentious" were bandied about, employing the popular critics method of simply discrediting an album due to its concurrent release with the arrival of punk rock -- as if that were an intellectually sound critique given the virtually unrelated style of Jethro Tulls music. The main knock on this album is the ill-conceived concept involving an aging rock star. That is a valid observation, but what rock concept albums are deserving of literary accolades? Precious few, if any. Lyrical themes notwithstanding, Too Old to Rock n Roll is a fine collection of independent rock songs that marked a return to the classic Tull style carved out on Aqualung and Benefit. Absent here are the muddled epic-length pieces synonymous with Thick as a Brick and A Passion Play, the pop leanings of War Child, and the complexity of Minstrel in the Gallery. So despite being the target of disparaging reviews, this album achieved modest chart success and boasted several quality rockers like "Quizz Kid," "Taxi Grab," and "Big Dipper." Martin Barres unheralded lead guitar style remains a force, rescuing a couple of tracks from the doldrums. David Palmers orchestral arrangements are, at times, a bit overblown, but this album is far from the colossal disaster its been portrayed as. Jethro Tulls third bassist, John Glascock, made his debut on this record, and Maddy Prior makes a guest appearance on the title track. | ||
 | Album: 12 of 50 Title: Songs From the Wood Released: 1977-02-11 Tracks: 9 Duration: 41:38 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Songs from the Wood (04:54) 2 Jack‐in‐the‐Green (02:31) 3 Cup of Wonder (04:34) 4 Hunting Girl (05:12) 5 Ring Out, Solstice Bells (03:46) 6 Velvet Green (06:04) 7 The Whistler (03:31) 8 Pibroch (Cap in Hand) (08:36) 9 Fire at Midnight (02:27) |
| Songs From the Wood : Allmusic album Review : Far and away the prettiest record Jethro Tull released at least since Thick as a Brick and a special treat for anyone with a fondness for the groups more folk-oriented material. Ian Anderson had moved to the countryside sometime earlier, and it showed in his choice of source material. The bands aggressive rock interplay and Andersons fascination with early British folk melodies produce a particularly appealing collection of songs -- the seriousness with which the group took this effort can be discerned by the albums unofficial "full" title on the original LP: "Jethro Tull With Kitchen Prose, Gutter Rhymes, and Divers Songs from the Wood." The groups sound was never more carefully balanced between acoustic folk and hard rock -- the result is an album that sounds a great deal like the work of Tulls Chrysalis Records labelmates Steeleye Span (though Nigel Pegrum never attacked his cymbals -- or his entire drum kit -- with Barriemore Barlows ferocity). The harmonizing on "Songs From the Wood" fulfills the promise shown in some of the singing on Thick as a Brick, and the delicacy of much of the rest, including "Ring Out, Solstice Bells" (where the group plays full out, but with wonderful elegance), "Hunting Girl," and "Velvet Green," set a new standard for the groups sound. "Pibroch (Cap in Hand)," which is dominated by Martin Barres electric guitar -- in a stunning array of overlapping flourishes at full volume -- is the only concession to the groups usual hard rock rave-ups, and even it has some lovely singing to counterbalance the bulk of the song. | ||
 | Album: 13 of 50 Title: Repeat: The Best of Jethro Tull, Volume II Released: 1977-09-09 Tracks: 10 Duration: 43:26 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Minstrel in the Gallery (04:17) 2 Cross‐Eyed Mary (04:11) 3 A New Day Yesterday (04:09) 4 Bourée (03:47) 5 Thick as a Brick (edit #4) (03:27) 6 War Child (04:34) 7 A Passion Play (edit #9) (03:32) 8 To Cry You a Song (06:14) 9 Too Old to Rock n Roll; Too Young to Die (05:40) 10 Glory Row (03:33) |
 | Album: 14 of 50 Title: Heavy Horses Released: 1978-04-10 Tracks: 9 Duration: 42:37 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 …And the Mouse Police Never Sleeps (03:13) 2 Acres Wild (03:25) 3 No Lullaby (07:55) 4 Moths (03:27) 5 Journeyman (03:57) 6 Rover (04:16) 7 One Brown Mouse (03:23) 8 Heavy Horses (08:56) 9 Weathercock (04:02) |
| Heavy Horses : Allmusic album Review : Jethro Tulls 11th studio album, Heavy Horses, is one of their prettier records, a veritable celebration of English folk music chock-full of gorgeous melodies, briskly played acoustic guitars and mandolins, and Ian Andersons flute lilting in the background, backed by the group in top form. This record is a fairly close cousin to 1977s Songs From the Wood, except that its songs are decidedly more passionate, sung with a rough, robust energy that much of Tulls work since Thick as a Brick had been missing, and surpassing even Aqualung in its lustiness. "No Lullaby" is the signature heavy riff song, a concert version of which opened Bursting Out: Jethro Tull Live. Anderson sings it -- and everything else here -- as though they might be the last lines he ever gets to voice, with tremendous intensity. The band plays hard behind him throughout, with lead guitarist Martin Barre (most notably on "Weathercock") and bassist John Glascock showing up very well throughout. Andersons production and Robin Blacks engineering catch their every nuance without sacrificing the delicacy of his acoustic guitar and mandolin playing. "Acres Wild," "Rover," "One Brown Mouse," "Weathercock," and "Moths," the latter featuring some of David Palmers most tasteful orchestral arrangements, are among the loveliest songs in the groups entire repertory. Curved Airs Darryl Way plays violin solo on the title track -- a tribute to Englands vanishing shire horses, which doesnt really take off until Ways instrument comes in on the break, with a marked tempo change -- and on "Acres Wild." | ||
 | Album: 15 of 50 Title: Stormwatch Released: 1979-09-14 Tracks: 14 Duration: 59:37 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 North Sea Oil (03:11) 2 Orion (03:58) 3 Home (02:45) 4 Dark Ages (09:13) 5 Warm Sporran (03:34) 6 Somethings on the Move (04:27) 7 Old Ghosts (04:23) 8 Dun Ringill (02:41) 9 Flying Dutchman (07:45) 10 Elegy (03:38) 11 A Stitch in Time (03:40) 12 Crossword (03:38) 13 Kelpie (03:37) 14 King Henrys Madrigal (03:01) |
| Stormwatch : Allmusic album Review : Stormwatch marked the end of an era in Jethro Tulls history, as the last album on which longtime members Barriemore Barlow, John Evan, and David Palmer participated, and the final appearance of bassist John Glascock, who played on three of the cuts (Anderson supplied the bass elsewhere) and died following open-heart surgery a few weeks after its release. Andersons inspiration seemed to be running out here, his writing covering environmental concerns ("North Sea Oil") and very scattershot social topical criticism ("Dark Ages"). The fire is still there in some of the hard rock passages, especially on "Dark Ages," but most of the songs generally lack the craftsmanship and inspiration of such albums as Minstrel in the Gallery or Heavy Horses, much less Aqualung. Just when "Somethings on the Move" seems like it could be the most tuneless track in Tulls history, "Old Ghosts" and "Dun Ringill" follow it with even less memorable melodic material. The latter, in particular, proved that Andersons well of folk-inspired tunes was also running dry, apart from the instrumental "Warm Sporran." | ||
 | Album: 16 of 50 Title: A Released: 1980-08-29 Tracks: 10 Duration: 42:45 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Crossfire (03:55) 2 Fylingdale Flyer (04:35) 3 Working John – Working Joe (05:04) 4 Black Sunday (06:35) 5 Protect and Survive (03:36) 6 Batteries Not Included (03:52) 7 Uniform (03:34) 8 4.W.D. (Low Ratio) (03:42) 9 The Pine Marten’s Jig (03:28) 10 And Further On (04:20) |
| A : Allmusic album Review : Gone are the longtime Anderson images of the vagabond/sage (the group is clad in white jumpsuits on the cover) -- also gone are the historical immersion of their music and anything resembling Dickensian, much less Elizabethan sensibilities. And nearly gone was Jethro Tull itself, for A started life as an Ian Anderson solo project but ended up as a Jethro Tull release, probably for commercial reasons. The difference is probably too subtle for most people to comprehend anyway. It is more reflective than Tulls usual work, but lacks the sudden, loud hard rock explosions that punctuate most of the groups albums. The death of bassist John Glascock in late 1979, and the departure of Andersons longtime friend John Evans after the release of Stormwatch, as well as the exit of arranger/keyboard player David Palmer, led to some major lineup shifts; Fairport Conventions Dave Peggs taking over Glascocks spot and the addition of Eddie Jobson, ex-Roxy Music/King Crimson violinist/keyboardman all seem to have removed some of Andersons impetus, at least for a time, for keeping the group going in the studio. What finally emerged is the first Tull record not to feature Andersons acoustic guitar, yet it also has a more balanced sound than any of their prior records. Jobsons arrangements are leaner and more muscular than Palmers, giving the music a stripped-down sound, a sort of hard folk-rock (reminiscent of Steeleye Spans All Around My Hat), augmented by synthesizer and electric violin; this somewhat updated Andersons music and moved him into the art rock category. Released in the midst of the punk/new wave boom in the United States, it didnt do too much for anyones career, although it probably maintained Andersons credibility better than any traditional Tull album would have. | ||
 | Album: 17 of 50 Title: The Broadsword and the Beast Released: 1982-04-10 Tracks: 10 Duration: 38:55 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Beastie (03:58) 2 Clasp (04:18) 3 Fallen on Hard Times (03:15) 4 Flying Colours (04:40) 5 Slow Marching Band (03:40) 6 Broadsword (05:03) 7 Pussy Willow (03:55) 8 Watching Me Watching You (03:41) 9 Seal Driver (05:11) 10 Cheerio (01:09) |
| The Broadsword and the Beast : Allmusic album Review : The cover of this first actual Jethro Tull album since 1979s Stormwatch depicts Ian Anderson as an elf-warrior, with wings and a sword, and a ship with a stylized Norse dragons head. Anyone expecting a fantasy or heavy metal album was due for a disappointment, however, for most of the songs that have any identifiable references are about topical politics more than anything else. Martin Barres electric guitars share the spotlight for the first time with Peter-John Vettesses synthesizers, and Anderson is still playing lilting tunes on his flute and acoustic guitar. Tulls electric sound, this time in the hands of ex-Yardbird Paul Samwell-Smith, is smoother, less heavy, and more thinly textured than their past work, and there are times -- most especially on "Flying Colours" -- where they could almost pass for the latter-day Moody Blues, something the band never would have permitted in earlier days (though if the Moodies could rock this hard and fast, it would be an achievement -- for them!). "Broadsword" and "Pussy Willow" are easily the two best songs here, and not coincidentally the two that owe the most to traditional folk music in their structure. Most of the rest is little better than tuneless drivel. | ||
 | Album: 18 of 50 Title: Under Wraps Released: 1984-09-07 Tracks: 15 Duration: 58:53 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Lap of Luxury (03:36) 2 Under Wraps #1 (04:02) 3 European Legacy (03:22) 4 Later, That Same Evening (03:52) 5 Saboteur (03:32) 6 Radio Free Moscow (03:41) 7 Astronomy (03:38) 8 Tundra (03:41) 9 Nobody’s Car (04:08) 10 Heat (05:37) 11 Under Wraps #2 (02:14) 12 Paparazzi (03:47) 13 Apogee (05:29) 14 Automotive Engineering (04:05) 15 General Crossing (04:01) |
| Under Wraps : Allmusic album Review : Ian Andersons Walk into Light (1983) was an uncharacteristic venture into the world of drum machines and synthesizers, and was partly a collaboration with keyboardist Peter-John Vettese. The next year the two cut the similar-sounding Under Wraps using the Jethro Tull banner. Most of the work, including drum programming, was done by Anderson in his home studio before guitar and (scant) bass guitar were added. The group members were excited about their latest sounds, which brought a cold edginess to the usual intricate music (the acoustic "Under Wraps No. 2" being one exception). Lyrically, Anderson was letting go of his Olde English façade; here he showed his fascination with Cold War-era espionage. While the British audiences didnt mind the changes, U.S. buyers pretty much hated the album. Compared to the U.S. number 19 position of 1982s The Broadsword and the Beast, Under Wraps never got past number 76. (Crest of a Knave, three years later, shot up to number 33.) The original release had 11 tracks, with "Astronomy," "Tundra," "Automotive Engineering," and "General Crossing" appearing as B-sides and bonus tracks around the world. Now the standard release carries all 15 tracks. | ||
 | Album: 19 of 50 Title: Original Masters Released: 1985-10-21 Tracks: 12 Duration: 54:04 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Living in the Past (03:21) 2 Aqualung (06:37) 3 Too Old to Rock n Roll; Too Young to Die (05:40) 4 Locomotive Breath (04:26) 5 Skating Away on the Thin Ice of the New Day (03:27) 6 Bungle in the Jungle (03:37) 7 Sweet Dream (04:04) 8 Songs from the Wood (04:54) 9 Witch’s Promise (03:50) 10 Thick as a Brick (03:00) 11 Minstrel in the Gallery (07:47) 12 Life’s a Long Song (03:17) |
| Original Masters : Allmusic album Review : Despite its age, this collection remains the best introduction to the wonderfully bizarre sounds of Jethro Tull -- a unique combination of folk music, progressive rock, heavy metal, and of course, Ian Andersons ubiquitous flute. Drawing exclusively from the bands 70s heyday, opener "Living in the Past" sets the retrospective tone, leading the way into the signature guitar riff of "Aqualung," the bands multifaceted pièce de résistance. Though lyrically indecipherable, "Locomotive Breath" is equally timeless, and the moment when John Evans fanciful piano intro gives way to Martin Barres guitar feedback remains thrilling. With his acoustic guitar in hand, Ian Anderson becomes a medieval bard, drawing the listener into worlds of legend both threatening ("Sweet Dream," "Witches Promise") and joyously carefree ("Thick as a Brick," "Skating Away on the Thin Ice of the New Day"). The unbelievable kaleidoscope of sound which makes up "Songs from the Wood" is simply too original and intricate for words to describe. On the other hand, the string-heavy "Too Old to RocknRoll, Too Young to Die" and the pointless "Bungle in the Jungle" have not aged well, and "Minstrel in the Gallery" sounds a bit too busy and overblown. Still, these small blunders are quickly forgotten with the parting shot of "Lifes a Long Song," a beautifully orchestrated piece containing one of Andersons best (and most understandable) lyrics. | ||
 | Album: 20 of 50 Title: Crest of a Knave Released: 1987-09-11 Tracks: 10 Duration: 54:16 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Steel Monkey (03:39) 2 Farm on the Freeway (06:31) 3 Jump Start (04:55) 4 She Said She Was a Dancer (03:43) 5 Dogs in the Midwinter (04:31) 6 Budapest (10:05) 7 Mountain Men (06:20) 8 The Waking Edge (03:21) 9 Raising Steam (04:14) 10 Part of the Machine (06:54) |
| Crest of a Knave : Allmusic album Review : Ian Anderson and company seemed to make a conscious effort to update Jethro Tulls sound on this record. And, to the amazement (and distress) of many, it was voted the Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock/Heavy Metal Performance. Truth is, it isnt a bad album, with an opening track that qualifies as hard rock and pretty much shouts its credentials out in Martin Barres screaming lead guitar line, present throughout. "Jump Start" and "Raising Steam" also rock hard, and no one can complain of too much on this record being soft, apart from the acoustic "The Waking Edge," along with "Budapest" and "Said She Was a Dancer," Andersons two aging rock-stars-eye-view accounts of meeting women from around the world. The antiwar song "Mountain Men" is classic Tull-styled electric folk, all screaming electric guitars at a pretty high volume by its end. Overall, this is a fairly successful album and arguably their best since 1978, even if it does seem a little insignificant in relation to, say, Thick As a Brick. By this time Tull was effectively a core trio of Anderson, Barre, and bassist Dave Pegg, augmented by whatever musicians (drummers Gerry Conway and Doane Perry, Fairport Convention keyboard player Martin Allcock, and violinist Ric Sanders) that they needed to fill out their sound. The result is a very lean-sounding group and a record probably as deserving of a Grammy as any other album of its year -- in the cosmic scheme, it sort of made up for Tulls not winning one for Thick As a Brick or Aqualung, or for Dave Peggs former band Fairport Convention never winning. | ||
 | Album: 21 of 50 Title: 20 Years of Jethro Tull Released: 1988-06-27 Tracks: 62 Duration: 3:53:06 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Song for Jeffrey (02:51) 2 Love Story (02:50) 3 Fat Man (02:57) 4 Bourée (04:04) 5 Stormy Monday Blues (04:07) 6 A New Day Yesterday (04:20) 7 Cold Wind to Valhalla (01:33) 8 Minstrel in the Gallery (02:10) 9 Velvet Green (05:54) 10 Grace (00:41) 11 Jack Frost and the Hooded Crow (03:20) 12 Im Your Gun (03:19) 13 Down at the End of Your Road (03:32) 14 Coronach (03:52) 15 Summerday Sands (03:44) 16 Too Many Too (03:26) 17 March the Mad Scientist (01:48) 18 Pan Dance (03:25) 19 Strip Cartoon (03:17) 20 King Henrys Madrigal (02:59) 21 A Stitch in Time (03:38) 22 17 (03:06) 23 One for John Gee (02:05) 24 Aeroplane (02:17) 25 Sunshine Day (02:24) 1 Lick Your Fingers Clean (02:47) 2 The Chateau d’Isaster Tapes (11:11) 3 Beltane (05:19) 4 Crossword (03:37) 5 Saturation (04:20) 6 Jack‐A‐Lynn (04:41) 7 Motoreyes (03:38) 8 Blues Instrumental (05:15) 9 Rhythm in Gold (03:06) 10 Part of the Machine (06:54) 11 Mayhem, Maybe (03:05) 12 Overhang (04:29) 13 Kelpie (03:31) 14 Living in These Hard Times (03:10) 15 Under Wraps 2 (02:15) 16 Only Solitaire (01:29) 17 Salamander (02:51) 18 Moths (03:27) 19 Nursie (01:35) 1 Witch’s Promise (03:50) 2 Bungle in the Jungle (03:37) 3 Farm on the Freeway (06:48) 4 Thick as a Brick (06:38) 5 Sweet Dream (04:35) 6 The Clasp (03:31) 7 Pibroch (Pee-Break) / Black Satin Dancer (instrumental) (04:01) 8 Fallen on Hard Times (04:00) 9 Cheap Day Return (01:22) 10 Wond’ring Aloud (01:55) 11 Dun Ringill (03:03) 12 Life’s a Long Song (03:18) 13 One White Duck / 0¹⁰ = Nothing at All (04:35) 14 Songs From the Wood (04:30) 15 Living in the Past (04:08) 16 Teacher (04:48) 17 Aqualung (07:46) 18 Locomotive Breath (06:00) |
| 20 Years of Jethro Tull : Allmusic album Review : This three-disc box set is targeted at fans, containing more than its share of album tracks, rarities, live cuts, and interview segments. Though this is a pretty good academic overview, there arent any great revelations here, and only hardcore fans need to invest in this multi-disc set. Even the curious fan that wants a bit more than Aqualung or hits will find this satisfactory. | ||
 | Album: 22 of 50 Title: Rock Island Released: 1989-08-21 Tracks: 10 Duration: 50:33 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Kissing Willie (03:32) 2 The Rattlesnake Trail (04:01) 3 Ears of Tin (04:55) 4 Undressed to Kill (05:24) 5 Rock Island (06:54) 6 Heavy Water (04:12) 7 Another Christmas Song (03:31) 8 The Whaler’s Dues (07:52) 9 Big Riff and Mando (05:58) 10 Strange Avenues (04:09) |
| Rock Island : Allmusic album Review : Even before Jethro Tulls 1987 LP Crest of a Knave controversially won the newly created Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance (beating out AC/DC, Janes Addiction, Iggy Pop, and -- to the astonishment of many who ignored the "hard rock" tag and focused on "metal" -- Metallica), it represented a commercial comeback for the venerable British band led by Ian Anderson, becoming the groups first U.S. gold album in eight years. Thus, it might be said that there was something riding on the follow-up, not only in career terms, but also in the sense of musical credibility. But that doesnt seem to have mattered to Anderson, who, ensconced on the Isle of Skye in the Scottish Hebrides, just came up with another batch of his idiosyncratic songs, referring to his home in the title. Rock Island went on to disappoint somewhat in record stores compared with its predecessor, despite radio and video play for its lead-off track, "Kissing Willie." [Seventeen years later, on this reissue, Anderson provides liner notes that illuminate his sometimes opaque lyrics. "Heavy Water," for example, "reflects on the environmental damage from Chernobyl" -- who knew? -- while "Big Riff and Mando" is a fanciful retelling of an incident on tour when bandmember Martin Barres mandolin was stolen and, amazingly, returned. Whatever the songs meanings, the LP remains a representative but hardly special Jethro Tull album. For the bonus tracks, the group has gathered in a dressing room backstage in Zurich, Switzerland, on October 13, 1989, performing stripped-down versions of "A Christmas Song," "Cheap Day Return/Mother Goose," and "Locomotive Breath," with Anderson graciously introducing the performances as if hosting a special radio program, which, perhaps, he was.] | ||
 | Album: 23 of 50 Title: Catfish Rising Released: 1991-09-10 Tracks: 15 Duration: 1:12:22 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 This Is Not Love (03:57) 2 Occasional Demons (03:49) 3 Roll Yer Own (04:26) 4 Rocks on the Road (05:32) 5 Sparrow on the Schoolyard Wall (05:22) 6 Thinking Round Corners (03:32) 7 Still Loving You Tonight (04:32) 8 Doctor to My Disease (04:35) 9 Like a Tall Thin Girl (03:38) 10 White Innocence (07:44) 11 Sleeping With the Dog (04:26) 12 Gold‐Tipped Boots, Black Jacket and Tie (03:41) 13 When Jesus Came to Play (05:08) 14 Night in the Wilderness (04:05) 15 Jump Start (live) (07:48) |
| Catfish Rising : Allmusic album Review : Jethro Tulls best album of the 1990s, a surging, hard-rocking monster (at least, compared to anything immediately before or since) that doesnt lose sight of good tunes or the folk sources that have served this band well. The lineup this time out is Anderson on acoustic and electric guitars, flute, and electric and acoustic mandolins, Martin Barre on electric guitar, Doane Perry on drums, Dave Pegg on bass, and Andrew Giddings on keyboards. The real difference between this and most of the groups output since the end of the 70s lies in the songs, all of which are approached with serious energy and enthusiasm; the lyrics are completely forgettable, but for the first time since War Child, the band sounds like theyre playing as though their lives depended on it. "Sparrow on the Schoolyard Wall" is at least as good a song as "Bungle in the Jungle" or "Skating Away on the Thin Ice of a New Day," and while that aint exactly "My God," its still better than most other contemporaneous Tull albums have done. "Still Loving You Tonight" and "Sleeping with the Dog" recall the groups blues roots, albeit not quite in bluesy enough fashion. Theres still some dross, as there would almost have to be on an hour-long album, but overall, this is the groups best album since the end of the 70s. | ||
 | Album: 24 of 50 Title: The 25th Anniversary Box Set Released: 1993-04-20 Tracks: 55 Duration: 4:46:26 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 My Sunday Feeling (03:42) 2 A Song for Jeffrey (03:23) 3 Living in the Past (03:25) 4 Teacher (04:08) 5 Sweet Dream (03:57) 6 Cross‐Eyed Mary (04:09) 7 The Witchs Promise (03:50) 8 Life Is a Long Song (03:18) 9 Bungle in the Jungle (03:37) 10 A Minstrel in the Gallery (08:13) 11 Cold Wind to Valhalla (04:13) 12 Too Old to Rock n Roll; Too Young to Die (05:30) 13 Songs from the Wood (04:54) 14 Heavy Horses (09:04) 15 Black Sunday (06:42) 16 Broadsword (04:54) 1 Nothing Is Easy (06:06) 2 My God (11:10) 3 With You There to Help Me (06:46) 4 A Song for Jeffrey (05:45) 5 To Cry You a Song (07:59) 6 Sossity; You’re a Woman (02:15) 7 Reasons for Waiting (03:55) 8 We Used to Know (03:18) 9 Guitar Solo (08:23) 10 For a Thousand Mothers (04:47) 1 So Much Trouble (02:29) 2 My Sunday Feeling (03:56) 3 Someday the Sun Wont Shine for You (02:01) 4 Living in the Past (03:26) 5 Bourée (03:32) 6 With You There to Help Me (06:12) 7 Thick as a Brick (09:01) 8 Cheerio (03:58) 9 A New Day Yesterday (08:01) 10 Protect and Survive (03:05) 11 Jack-a-Lynn (04:57) 12 The Whistler (02:51) 13 My God (10:01) 14 Aqualung (07:31) 1 To Be Sad Is a Mad Way to Be (03:57) 2 Back to the Family (03:36) 3 Passion Play (extract) (03:19) 4 Medley: Wind-up / Locomotive Breath / Land of Hope and Glory (11:48) 5 Seal Driver (05:37) 6 Nobodys Car (05:02) 7 Pussy Willow (04:58) 8 Budapest (10:51) 9 Nothing Is Easy (05:18) 10 Kissing Willie (03:39) 11 Still Loving You Tonight (05:02) 12 Beggars Farm (05:21) 13 Passion Jig (02:00) 14 A Song for Jeffrey (03:26) 15 Living in the Past (03:42) |
 | Album: 25 of 50 Title: The Best of Jethro Tull: The Anniversary Collection Released: 1993-05-24 Tracks: 36 Duration: 2:34:37 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 A Song for Jeffrey (03:21) 2 Beggar’s Farm (04:20) 3 A Christmas Song (03:07) 4 A New Day Yesterday (04:09) 5 Bourée (03:47) 6 Nothing Is Easy (04:24) 7 Living in the Past (03:21) 8 To Cry You a Song (06:14) 9 Teacher (03:58) 10 Sweet Dream (04:01) 11 Cross‐Eyed Mary (04:09) 12 Mother Goose (03:53) 13 Aqualung (06:37) 14 Locomotive Breath (04:26) 15 Life Is a Long Song (03:20) 16 Thick as a Brick (extract) (03:01) 17 A Passion Play (extract) (03:46) 18 Skating Away on the Thin Ice of the New Day (03:52) 19 Bungle in the Jungle (03:37) 1 Minstrel in the Gallery (06:11) 2 Too Old to Rock and Roll (05:39) 3 Songs from the Wood (04:54) 4 Jack in the Green (02:29) 5 The Whistler (03:31) 6 Heavy Horses (08:56) 7 Dun Ringill (02:41) 8 Fylingdale Flyer (04:32) 9 Jack‐A‐Lynn (04:41) 10 Pussy Willow (03:55) 11 Broadsword (04:58) 12 Under Wraps II (02:14) 13 Steel Monkey (03:33) 14 Farm on the Freeway (06:28) 15 Jump Start (04:53) 16 Kissing Willie (03:32) 17 This Is Not Love (03:54) |
| The Best of Jethro Tull: The Anniversary Collection : Allmusic album Review : Not only are there an awful lot of Jethro Tull compilations, there are a ton of comprehensive multi-disc collections in their catalog, so its very easy to confuse the individual albums. For instance, the 1993 double-disc set The Best of Jethro Tull is billed as a digitally remastered album, which gives the impression that it is a remastered version of an older set, when it is actually a new collection culled from remastered tapes. Basically, this set is unnecessary for collectors, who will certainly have everything here, and any casual fan who already has a collection -- whether its the original M.U. or any of the many box sets -- wont need this. But casual fans looking for a comprehensive yet fairly concise anthology should choose this best-of since it does have all the hits and key album tracks among its 36 songs, all presented in good remastered sound. Its not worth replacing an existing compilation in your collection, but if you need a Tull set, this is a good choice. | ||
 | Album: 26 of 50 Title: Nightcap: The Unreleased Masters 1973–1991 Released: 1993-11-22 Tracks: 31 Duration: 2:00:54 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 First Post (01:54) 2 Animelée (01:40) 3 Tiger Toon (01:35) 4 Look at the Animals (05:09) 5 Law of the Bungle (02:31) 6 Law of the Bungle, Part II (05:25) 7 Left Right (05:02) 8 Solitaire (01:25) 9 Critique Oblique (09:02) 10 Post Last (05:35) 11 Scenario (03:25) 12 Audition (02:33) 13 No Rehearsal (05:12) 1 Paradise Steakhouse (04:01) 2 Sealion II (03:20) 3 Piece of Cake (03:40) 4 Quartet (02:44) 5 Silver River Turning (04:51) 6 Crew Nights (04:33) 7 The Curse (03:38) 8 Rosa on the Factory Floor (04:38) 9 A Small Cigar (03:39) 10 Man of Principle (03:57) 11 Commons Brawl (03:23) 12 No Step (03:38) 13 Drive on the Young Side of Life (04:12) 14 I Dont Want to Be Me (03:29) 15 Broadford Bazaar (03:38) 16 Lights Out (05:16) 17 Truck Stop Runner (03:47) 18 Hard Liner (03:47) |
| Nightcap: The Unreleased Masters 1973–1991 : Allmusic album Review : This double CD is a true gift to hardcore fans, offering previously unseen glimpses of Jethro Tull when the group was at its absolute peak. Anyone else, however, may find the album rough going, for while the group was never tighter or more productive, the material isnt even second-rate. Essentially, Nightcap is Jethro Tulls version of the Beatles Anthology releases. The first disc consists of tracks that the band started to record during 1973 -- the best parts of this material ended up being rewritten and incorporated into what became A Passion Play. These outtakes are pretty at times, but also unformed and distinctly unfinished -- Anderson takes a gorgeous classical guitar solo on "First Post," but then the song drifts off, and "Tiger Toon" is an early version of the principal theme from "A Passion Play," not altered too much except in tempo. "Critique Oblique" offers material that made up the louder, later sections of "A Passion Play," with some impressive playing from Martin Barre on lead guitar and John Evan on organ -- except that it goes nowhere for nine minutes; "Post Last" is an early version of the "Passion Play" finale. The 1974 outtakes and rare tracks that comprise the second disc are less problematic because they are less fragmentary. "Piece of Cake" is one of the best pieces of straight-ahead rock & roll that the band ever cut, so solid and straightforward that but for the presence of the flute it might not even sound like Jethro Tull. "Crew Nights," "The Curse," and "Hard Rider" arent far behind, and there are other fine tracks here, more than compensating for the aimless noodling and pointless profundity that rear their heads elsewhere. And "Broadford Bazzar" is about the prettiest folk-style tune Anderson and company ever came up with. [British import.] | ||
 | Album: 27 of 50 Title: Platinum Part I 1968–1975 Released: 1994 Tracks: 19 Duration: 1:14:55 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 A Song for Jeffrey (03:21) 2 Love Story (02:50) 3 A New Day Yesterday (04:09) 4 A Christmas Song (live) (03:47) 5 Fat Man (02:57) 6 Bourée (03:47) 7 Living in the Past (03:21) 8 Sweet Dream (04:01) 9 The Witch’s Promise (03:48) 10 Teacher (03:58) 11 Aqualung (06:37) 12 Mother Goose (03:53) 13 Locomotive Breath (04:26) 14 Cross‐Eyed Mary (live) (03:46) 15 Thick as a Brick (extract) (03:01) 16 A Passion Play (extract) (03:46) 17 Skating Away on the Thin Ice of the New Day (03:52) 18 Bungle in the Jungle (03:37) 19 Minstrel in the Gallery (live) (05:51) |
 | Album: 28 of 50 Title: The Very Best Of Released: 1994 Tracks: 15 Duration: 1:11:02 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 A Song for Jeffrey (03:19) 2 Beggar’s Farm (04:18) 3 Bourée (03:47) 4 Aqualung (06:37) 5 Locomotive Breath (04:26) 6 Cross‐Eyed Mary (04:07) 7 Thick as a Brick (03:00) 8 Living in the Past (03:21) 9 A Passion Play (extract) (03:45) 10 Bungle in the Jungle (03:37) 11 Minstrel in the Gallery (06:10) 12 Too Old to Rock ’n’ Roll: Too Young to Die (05:39) 13 Songs from the Wood (04:54) 14 Heavy Horses (08:55) 15 Broadsword (05:03) |
| The Very Best Of : Allmusic album Review : How does one evaluate a best-of compilation by a legendary band whos released several such collections already? Frankly, most, if not all, of these selections have appeared on Jethro Tull hits collections and, in many cases, multiple times. And after decades of being critical of record companies capitalizing off artists by releasing one greatest-hits album after another, frontman Ian Anderson decided to choose the actual tracks for this album. The ironic thing is, this Tull collection is no different than those that preceded it, except that perhaps maximum disc space was utilized here, as its comprised of 20 tracks and 78 minutes of music. Theres nothing new here for avid Jethro Tull fans, and curious potential fans have at least a dozen other retrospectives to choose from. | ||
 | Album: 29 of 50 Title: Platinum Part II 1976–1994 Released: 1994 Tracks: 17 Duration: 1:15:25 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Too Old to Rock ’n’ Roll: Too Young to Die (05:39) 2 Salamander (02:50) 3 Songs from the Wood (04:54) 4 The Whistler (03:31) 5 Hunting Girl (05:10) 6 Moths (03:27) 7 Heavy Horses (08:56) 8 Jack in the Green (live) (03:44) 9 Dun Ringill (02:40) 10 Jack‐A‐Lynn (04:41) 11 Sealdriver (live) (05:36) 12 Under Wraps II (02:14) 13 Farm on the Freeway (06:31) 14 Said She Was a Dancer (03:40) 15 Kissing Willie (03:32) 16 Rocks on the Road (live) (04:03) 17 Aqualung / Locomotive Breath (04:09) |
 | Album: 30 of 50 Title: Roots to Branches Released: 1995-09-04 Tracks: 11 Duration: 1:00:04 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Roots to Branches (05:11) 2 Rare and Precious Chain (03:35) 3 Out of the Noise (03:25) 4 This Free Will (04:05) 5 Valley (06:07) 6 Dangerous Veils (05:35) 7 Beside Myself (05:50) 8 Wounded, Old and Treacherous (07:50) 9 At Last, Forever (07:55) 10 Stuck in the August Rain (04:06) 11 Another Harry’s Bar (06:22) |
| Roots to Branches : Allmusic album Review : This mid-90s Tull studio album has its good moments, mostly shadows of earlier work. All of the songs here have more of a mood of urgency than some of Tulls then-recent albums, and a few even have memorable melodies -- the title tune, "At Last, Forever" (which sounds like a Thick as a Brick outtake), "Rare and Precious Chain," "Dangerous Veils," and "Valley," which recall the best moments of Ian Andersons mid-70s work. There are also attempts to revive the bands one-time fixation on jazz influences (the opening of "Wounded, Old and Treacherous"), although this sort of thing came off better on This Was. Andersons flute occasionally takes flight, Martin Barres guitar still wails on the breaks, and Doane Perry (drums), Dave Pegg (bass), and Steve Bailey (bass) make up a decent rhythm section. Not nearly as strong as Catfish Rising, but better than anything else since Heavy Horses. | ||
 | Album: 31 of 50 Title: Through the Years Released: 1997-01-23 Tracks: 13 Duration: 1:03:48 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Living in the Past (05:03) 2 Wind‐Up (06:05) 3 War Child (04:34) 4 Dharma for One (04:15) 5 Acres Wild (03:23) 6 Budapest (10:02) 7 The Whistler (03:31) 8 We Used to Know (04:01) 9 Beastie (03:59) 10 Locomotive Breath (live) (05:36) 11 Rare and Precious Chain (03:35) 12 Quizz Kid (05:07) 13 Still Loving You Tonight (04:32) |
| Through the Years : Allmusic album Review : If you put every disc that Jethro Tull has released into a CD player and hit the "random" button, the first hour of music might sound like Through the Years. Its likely that more thought was put into the selections here, but not much more. Chronological order be damned, this compilation starts with the live version of "Living in the Past" that appeared on A Little Light Music and ends with "Still Loving You Tonight" (from Catfish Rising, really). In between is a sampler that runs all over the place, uncovering some diamonds in the process. A method to this madness actually begins to take shape with "Dharma for One," which is followed by (in order) "Acres Wild," all ten wonderful minutes of "Budapest," "The Whistler," and "We Used to Know." Stylistically, these songs couldnt be more different, but they are eminently informed choices. So were left to assume that Through the Years might represent one fans favorite selections over the years; idiosyncratic, to be sure, but interesting all the same. This disc isnt likely to draw neophytes into Tulls unique musical world as well as M.U. or Repeat might, but it may prod fans of their "classic" material to check out some of the bands more recent releases. There is a measure of vindication in hearing "Rare and Precious Chain" from Roots to Branches or "Beastie" from Broadsword and the Beast played alongside more accepted hits like "The Whistler" and "Warchild." Although available in the U.S. only as a European import, Through the Years is actually less expensive than comparable U.S. releases (usually by a few simoleons). The sound quality is fine; not on a par with digitally remastered discs, but in line with the first round of CD reissues from the Tull catalog. This remains an inexpensive way to sample some of Jethro Tulls music and see what suits your tastes before buying the whole box of candies. | ||
 | Album: 32 of 50 Title: A Jethro Tull Collection Released: 1997-02-25 Tracks: 13 Duration: 1:03:10 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Acres Wild (03:25) 2 Locomotive Breath (live) (06:41) 3 Dharma for One (04:15) 4 Wind‐Up (06:05) 5 War Child (04:34) 6 Budapest (10:02) 7 The Whistler (03:31) 8 We Used to Know (03:59) 9 Beastie (03:58) 10 Rare & Precious Chain (03:35) 11 Quizz Kid (05:07) 12 Still Loving You Tonight (04:32) 13 Living in the Past (03:21) |
 | Album: 33 of 50 Title: Jethro Tull 36 Greatest Hits Released: 1998-09-15 Tracks: 36 Duration: 2:38:33 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Aqualung (06:37) 2 Cross-Eyed Mary (04:07) 3 Hymn 43 (03:15) 4 Locomotive Breath (04:26) 5 A New Day Yesterday (04:09) 6 Glory Row (03:33) 7 To Cry You a Song (06:14) 8 Teacher (03:58) 9 Nothing Is Easy (04:24) 10 Rock Island (06:54) 11 Saboteur (03:27) 12 John Barleycorn (06:34) 1 Thick as a Brick (edit #4) (03:23) 2 War Child (04:34) 3 Skating Away on the Thin Ice of the New Day (03:55) 4 A Passion Play (edit #8) (03:29) 5 Fat Man (02:52) 6 Rainbow Blues (03:35) 7 A Minstrel in the Gallery (08:13) 8 Requiem (03:41) 9 Nursie (01:35) 10 Broadsword (04:54) 11 Coronach (03:52) 12 Roll Yer Own (04:26) 1 Bungle in the Jungle (03:37) 2 Living in the Past (03:21) 3 Too Old to Rock n Roll; Too Young to Die (05:40) 4 Songs from the Wood (04:54) 5 The Whistler (03:31) 6 Stormy Monday Blues (04:07) 7 Im Your Gun (03:19) 8 Crossword (03:37) 9 Under Wraps (04:01) 10 Black Sunday 1 (06:34) 11 Heavy Horses (08:56) 12 Grace (00:35) |
 | Album: 34 of 50 Title: J‐Tull Dot Com Released: 1999-08-23 Tracks: 14 Duration: 1:00:21 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Spiral (03:53) 2 Dot Com (04:26) 3 AWOL (05:21) 4 Nothing @ All (00:56) 5 Wicked Windows (04:42) 6 Hunt by Numbers (04:02) 7 Hot Mango Flush (03:51) 8 El Niño (04:43) 9 Black Mamba (04:59) 10 Mango Surprise (01:16) 11 Bends Like a Willow (04:54) 12 Far Alaska (04:08) 13 The Dog‐Ear Years (03:34) 14 A Gift of Roses & Tweet‐Tweet (09:29) |
| J‐Tull Dot Com : Allmusic album Review : With 1995s Roots to Branches, Jethro Tull signed a sixth lease on life by absorbing the ethnic sounds of India and the Middle and Far East. Ian Anderson was camouflaging his failing voice with fluting that was better than ever and with songs that suited his singing range. Jethro Tull follows up Roots to Branches with J-Tull Dot Com, a title that advertises both the bands new website and Andersons newfound Internet prowess. The band has made a career of blending rock with jazz, blues, classical, and folk, and it would seem that the globetrotting Roots to Branches, along with Andersons solo album from the same year, Divinities: Twelve Dances With God, would point to a full-time obsession with world music. But now the band abandons some of the world sounds in favor of songs that are more straightforward and lacking in variety, and unlike Roots to Branches, J-Tull Dot Com fails to excite with the first listen. While not as memorable as the previous effort, the album still delivers standard Jethro Tull: Andersons flute, Martin Barres crunchy guitar, and the wide-reaching keys of Andrew Giddings support Ians ever-weakening voice, which he imposes onto every song. Once again Tulls capable hard rock is alternately ornamented, twiddly, and heavy-handed, so after repeated listens Tull fans should be satisfied. | ||
 | Album: 35 of 50 Title: The Very Best of Jethro Tull Released: 2001-05-11 Tracks: 20 Duration: 1:18:11 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Living in the Past (03:21) 2 Aqualung (06:37) 3 Sweet Dream (04:04) 4 The Whistler (03:31) 5 Bungle in the Jungle (03:37) 6 The Witch’s Promise (03:51) 7 Locomotive Breath (04:26) 8 Steel Monkey (03:39) 9 Thick as a Brick (03:00) 10 Bourée (03:47) 11 Too Old to Rock ’n’ Roll: Too Young to Die (edited version) (03:55) 12 Life Is a Long Song (03:18) 13 Songs From the Wood (04:54) 14 A New Day Yesterday (04:09) 15 Heavy Horses (edited version) (03:20) 16 Broadsword (05:01) 17 Root to Branches (05:11) 18 A Song for Jeffrey (03:20) 19 Minstrel in the Gallery (edited version) (03:51) 20 Cheerio (01:10) |
 | Album: 36 of 50 Title: Essential Released: 2003 Tracks: 11 Duration: 43:25 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Teacher (03:54) 2 Aqualung (06:35) 3 Thick as a Brick (edit #1) (03:01) 4 Bungle in the Jungle (03:37) 5 Locomotive Breath (04:37) 6 Fat Man (02:50) 7 Living in the Past (03:21) 8 A Passion Play (Edit No 8) (03:28) 9 Skating Away (On the Thin Ice of the New Day) (04:00) 10 Rainbow Blues (03:37) 11 Nothing Is Easy (04:23) |
| Essential : Allmusic album Review : This 2011 Jethro Tull collection from EMI doesnt offer up any surprises, but it does provide a wealth of material for a single-disc retrospective. Tull, due in part to their penchant for art rock epics, have always been a difficult act to build an overview around, but the 16 tracks that make up this U.K. import manage to both represent and flow. Built around obvious cuts like "Aqualung," "Living in the Past," "Bungle in the Jungle," and "Locomotive Breath," and peppered with fan favorites such as "Thick as a Brick [Edit No. 1]," "Bouree," and "Witches Promise," Essential may paint with familiar colors, but it uses surprisingly broad strokes. | ||
 | Album: 37 of 50 Title: Classic Masters Released: 2003 Tracks: 13 Duration: 1:03:49 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Living in the Past (05:03) 2 Wind Up (06:06) 3 War Child (04:34) 4 Dharma for One (04:13) 5 Acres Wild (03:23) 6 Budapest (10:02) 7 The Whistler (03:32) 8 We Used to Know (04:01) 9 Beastie (03:59) 10 Locomotive Breath (live) (05:36) 11 Rare and Precious Chain (03:36) 12 Quizz Kid (05:07) 13 Still Loving You Tonight (04:32) |
| Classic Masters : Allmusic album Review : The Jethro Tull version of the Classic Masters series is a rather sneakily assembled collection, as it is the same exact track listing as the 1998 U.K. compilation, Through the Years, only with a different title and album cover artwork. The main purpose of releases in the Classic Masters series is to introduce newcomers of a band to 12 of their key tracks, and if youre looking at the Jethro Tull edition from this standpoint, it fails miserably. The only tracks here that reside on classic rock radio are "Living in the Past" and "Locomotive Breath," both of which are included here in subpar live renditions (especially when compared to the original studio versions), while a few oft-overlooked album tracks from the early 70s are included as well "("Wind Up,"" "Dharma for One"). But too many latter-day selections take up precious space (where "Aqualung" and "Teacher" should be), like "Budapest," and "Rare and Previous Chain." If you were a major Tull fan during their commercial/creative peak (the 70s), lost track of the band during the 80s (who didnt?), and are looking to sample some of the groups latter-day tracks (but like a security blanket, want the comfort of a few trusty old nuggets present), Classic Masters is a worthy purchase. But if youre a newcomer looking for a definitive Tull compilation, either the double-disc The Best of Jethro Tull, or the streamlined single-disc Very Best of Jethro Tull, are the way to go. | ||
 | Album: 38 of 50 Title: The Jethro Tull Christmas Album Released: 2003-09-30 Tracks: 16 Duration: 1:02:15 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Birthday Card at Christmas (03:35) 2 Holly Herald (04:15) 3 A Christmas Song (02:47) 4 Another Christmas Song (03:30) 5 God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (04:33) 6 Jack Frost and the Hooded Crow (03:35) 7 Last Man at the Party (04:47) 8 Weathercock (04:17) 9 Pavane (04:18) 10 First Snow on Brooklyn (04:55) 11 Greensleeved (02:39) 12 Fire at Midnight (02:24) 13 We Five Kings (03:14) 14 Ring Out Solstice Bells (04:03) 15 Bourée (04:23) 16 A Winter Snowscape (04:54) |
| The Jethro Tull Christmas Album : Allmusic album Review : For a band that remained relatively consistent (with a few minor exceptions) in their approach to rock & roll since 1968, Jethro Tull also possessed a sound that was uniquely 70s-oriented during their most successful period between 1971-1978. Avid fans have been yearning for the groups return to the style which made them one of the most successful of the guitar-based, mainstream prog outfits -- albums like Broadsword and the Beast and J-Tull.Com touched on their former glory, but they didnt fully satisfy. Christmas Album could be the recording that those fans have been waiting for, and they shouldnt let its title or overt seasonal orientation dissuade them -- with their liberal use of classic English folk music and overall orientation toward Englands past (even in their name), Jethro Tull is also the one prog rock/hard rock band of their generation that could issue a Christmas album that folds so easily into the rest of their output; it transcends its purpose and focus, mostly through the quiet boldness of its music and playing and the surprising excitement that laces most of the 16 songs. With a mixture of re-recorded old songs, Christmas standards and new originals, songwriter/singer Ian Anderson, in a roundabout manner, captures the tradition, warmth, and bittersweet feelings that are inextricably linked to the holiday season; at the same time, Anderson, longtime collaborator/lead guitarist Martin Barre, and the rest of the groups 2003 lineup recapture the musical intensity of three decades past, and build on the classic Tull mood of sardonic humor, wry irony, and fierce passions that permeated all of their work from Stand Up to Songs From the Wood. All of this material, in its content and execution, recalls the groups prime early-70s years and levels of musical complexity not presented so successfully by this band in at least 25 years. With a generous use of unamplified instruments like mandolin, acoustic guitar, flute, and accordion, this album resembles the production found on Songs From the Wood and Heavy Horses. In fact, three tracks from those two albums were reworked for this release; "Fire at Midnight," "Ring Out Solstice Bells" and "Weathercock." Only "Ring Out Solstice Bells" appeared to be the obvious choice for a Christmas album, but given Andersons offbeat perspective of things, the other two tracks assimilate nicely. In addition, "Jack Frost and the Hooded Crow" sounds like it could have emanated from those 1977 and 1978 recordings, as could "Last Man at the Party" from 1974s War Child sessions. Among the re-recordings, pieces such as "A Christmas Song," that originally had orchestral accompaniment, are redone without it, in new arrangements, while others that were done without orchestra get dressed up with strings. From the traditional side of Christmas, Tull gives "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" a jazzy adaptation reminiscent of "Bouree" from Stand Up (which is also revisited on this recording) and "We Five Kings" sounds rhythmically similar to "Living in the Past," particularly the bass guitar line. In addition to Bachs Bouree, the majestic Gabriel Fauré piece Pavane is included, which features guitarist Martin Barres exceptional acoustic playing. And Barre himself gets a rare solo composition as the album closer (a Christmas gift from Anderson?), the deeply evocative tone-painting "A Winter Snowscape," which takes some gratifying turns away from the most obvious melodic direction. The albums overall mix of folk, jazz, pop, rock, and classical elements carries it beyond the holiday listening for which it was intended, and is all woven together so skillfully as to make this an essential Tull album, their first in almost three decades and their most musically rewarding. And although this Christmas album doesnt necessarily conjure up images of Santa and the Savior, it does create a mood and feeling reflective of the holiday season. More importantly, it is perhaps the most satisfying Tull releases in 25 years. [Reissued in late 2004 in a limited-edition version with a bonus DVD containing three performance videos of material going back to "That Sunday Feeling"]. | ||
 | Album: 39 of 50 Title: A / Slipstream Released: 2004-03-24 Tracks: 10 Duration: 42:45 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Crossfire (03:55) 2 Fylingdale Flyer (04:35) 3 Working John – Working Joe (05:04) 4 Black Sunday (06:35) 5 Protect and Survive (03:36) 6 Batteries Not Included (03:52) 7 Uniform (03:34) 8 4.W.D. (Low Ratio) (03:42) 9 The Pine Marten’s Jig (03:28) 10 And Further On (04:20) |
 | Album: 40 of 50 Title: The Best of Acoustic Jethro Tull Released: 2007-03-12 Tracks: 24 Duration: 1:18:03 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Fat Man (02:52) 2 Life Is a Long Song (03:17) 3 Cheap Day Return (01:23) 4 Mother Goose (03:53) 5 Wond’ring Aloud (01:55) 6 Thick as a Brick (edit #1) (03:01) 7 Skating Away on the Thin Ice of the New Day (04:12) 8 Cold Wind to Valhalla (intro) (01:29) 9 One White Duck / 0¹⁰ = Nothing at All (04:37) 10 Salamander (02:51) 11 Jack‐in‐the‐Green (02:31) 12 Velvet Green (06:04) 13 Dun Ringill (02:41) 14 Jack Frost & The Hooded Crow (03:22) 15 Under Wraps #2 (02:14) 16 Jack-a-Lynn (04:57) 17 Someday the Sun Wont Shine for You (02:01) 18 Broadford Bazaar (03:38) 19 The Water Carrier (02:56) 20 Rupis Dance (03:00) 21 A Christmas Song (02:47) 22 Weathercock (04:20) 23 One Brown Mouse (03:40) 24 Pastime With Good Company (04:13) |
| The Best of Acoustic Jethro Tull : Allmusic album Review : To some, Jethro Tull will always be associated with Ian Andersons flute playing and more rocking, arena-worthy moments. But like Led Zeppelin, Tull was all about balancing their sonic mood swings; they could effortlessly transform between being loud & proud rock & rollers to more tranquil folksmen in the blink of an eye. The 2007 compilation, The Best of Acoustic Jethro Tull is self-explanatory, since the 24-track set focuses solely on the "unplugged" side of Tull. But some of Tulls finest moments were acoustic guitar-based, including such early classics as "Mother Goose," "Skating Away (On the Thin Ice of the New Day)," and "Fat Man" (heres a fun game to play: the next time you watch the movie Boogie Nights, try to spot the scene that uses the latter song). And while the never-ending title track from Thick as a Brick is primarily a rocking prog number, its intro is certainly one of Tulls finest acoustic moments, and is included here. However, The Best of Acoustic Jethro Tull isnt just about the early-70s era, as it includes selections from all eras, including such forgotten or oft-overlooked tracks as "Jack in the Green," "Weathercock," and "One Brown Mouse." As an overview of Tulls acoustic side, The Best of Acoustic Jethro Tull thoroughly covers all the bases. | ||
 | Album: 41 of 50 Title: Heavy Horses / Songs From the Wood Released: 2011 Tracks: 22 Duration: 1:42:31 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 …And the Mouse Police Never Sleeps (03:13) 2 Acres Wild (03:25) 3 No Lullaby (07:55) 4 Moths (03:27) 5 Journeyman (03:57) 6 Rover (04:16) 7 One Brown Mouse (03:23) 8 Heavy Horses (08:56) 9 Weathercock (04:06) 10 Living in These Hard Times (03:10) 11 Broadford Bazaar (03:40) 1 Songs from the Wood (04:54) 2 Jack‐in‐the‐Green (02:31) 3 Cup of Wonder (04:34) 4 Hunting Girl (05:12) 5 Ring Out, Solstice Bells (03:46) 6 Velvet Green (06:04) 7 The Whistler (03:31) 8 Pibroch (Cap in Hand) (08:36) 9 Fire at Midnight (02:33) 10 Beltane (05:19) 11 Velvet Green (live) (05:55) |
 | Album: 42 of 50 Title: 10 Great Songs Released: 2012 Tracks: 10 Duration: 52:13 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Living in the Past (03:21) 2 Aqualung (Live at Madison Square Garden) (07:50) 3 Bungle in the Jungle (03:37) 4 Locomotive Breath (including Dambusters March) (Live at Madison Square Garden) (15:28) 5 Minstrel in the Gallery (03:51) 6 Teacher (04:01) 7 A Passion Play (Edit No 8) (03:28) 8 Thick as a Brick (edit #1) (03:01) 9 Rainbow Blues (03:37) 10 Too Old to Rock n Roll (Live at Madison Square Garden) (03:55) |
| 10 Great Songs : Allmusic album Review : 10 Great Songs collects ten tracks recorded during the bands tenure with Chrysalis in the 70s. Included are the original versions of the hits "Living in the Past," "Teacher," and "Bungle in the Jungle," along with edited versions of longer tracks and three live performances from Madison Square Garden in 1978. Casual fans should first check out M.U.: The Best of Jethro Tull, as it has a better track selection. | ||
 | Album: 43 of 50 Title: All the Best Released: 2012-04-20 Tracks: 40 Duration: 2:36:41 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 A New Day Yesterday (04:09) 2 Sweet Dream (04:04) 3 The Witchs Promise (03:50) 4 Teacher (03:47) 5 A Song for Jeffrey (03:19) 6 Bouree (03:45) 7 Fat Man (02:52) 8 My Sunday Feeling (03:39) 9 Dharma for One (04:14) 10 Nothing Is Easy (04:24) 11 With You There to Help Me (06:18) 12 To Cry You a Song (06:14) 13 Aqualung (06:37) 14 Cross-Eyed Mary (new stereo mix) (04:09) 15 WondRing Aloud (new stereo mix) (01:48) 16 Hymn 43 (new stereo mix) (03:17) 17 Thick as a Brick (edit #1) (03:01) 18 Living in The (Slightly More Recent) Past (live 1993) (03:42) 19 Life Is a Long Song (03:17) 20 Nursie (01:35) 1 Locomotive Breath (new stereo mix) (04:41) 2 Bungle in the Jungle (03:37) 3 Skating Away (On the Thin Ice of the New Day) (04:10) 4 Minstrel in the Galery (edit) (03:52) 5 Salamander (02:50) 6 Too Old to Rock n Roll, Too Young to Die (edit) (03:55) 7 Songs from the Wood (04:54) 8 The Whistler (03:31) 9 Heavy Horses (edit) (03:21) 10 Dun Ringill (02:40) 11 Crossfire (03:52) 12 Broadsword (04:54) 13 Pussy Willow (03:52) 14 Under Wraps #2 (02:13) 15 Jump Start (04:54) 16 She Said She Was a Dancer (03:43) 17 Kissing Willie (03:33) 18 This Is Not Love (03:59) 19 Roots to Branches (05:12) 20 Bends Like a Willow (04:53) |
 | Album: 44 of 50 Title: 5 Album Set Released: 2012-10-01 Tracks: 48 Duration: 4:00:32 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Aqualung (06:35) 2 Cross Eyed Mary (04:09) 3 Cheap Day Return (01:21) 4 Mother Goose (03:52) 5 Wond’ring Aloud (01:53) 6 Up to Me (03:14) 7 My God (07:11) 8 Hymn 43 (03:17) 9 Slipstream (01:12) 10 Locomotive Breath (04:41) 11 Wind Up (06:00) 1 A Passion Play, Part 1 (23:06) 2 A Passion Play, Part 2 (22:00) 1 Minstrel in the Gallery (05:09) 2 Cold Wind to Valhalla (04:48) 3 Black Satin Dancer (02:51) 4 Requiem (03:54) 5 One White Duck / 0¹⁰ = Nothing at All (04:09) 6 Baker St Muse Medley: Pig‐Me and the Whore / Nice Little Tune / Crash‐Barrier Waltzer / Mother England Reverie (02:12) 7 Grace (03:35) 8 Summerday Sands (05:44) 9 March the Mad Scientist (04:32) 10 Pan Dance (05:32) 11 Minstrel in the Gallery (live) (03:39) 12 Cold Wind to Valhalla (live) (03:17) 1 Quizz Kid (05:09) 2 Crazed Institution (04:46) 3 Salamander (02:51) 4 Taxi Grab (03:54) 5 From a Deadbeat to an Old Greaser (04:09) 6 Bad-Eyed and Loveless (02:12) 7 Big Dipper (03:35) 8 Too Old to Rock n Roll; Too Young to Die (05:44) 9 Pied Piper (04:33) 10 The Chequered Flag (Dead or Alive) (05:32) 11 A Small Cigar (03:39) 12 Strip Cartoon (03:17) 1 Songs from the Wood (04:54) 2 Jack‐in‐the‐Green (02:31) 3 Cup of Wonder (04:34) 4 Hunting Girl (05:12) 5 Ring Out, Solstice Bells (03:46) 6 Velvet Green (06:04) 7 The Whistler (03:31) 8 Pibroch (Cap in Hand) (08:36) 9 Fire at Midnight (02:33) 10 Beltane (05:19) 11 Velvet Green (live) (05:55) |
 | Album: 45 of 50 Title: Jethro Tull – The Triple Album Collection Released: 2014 Tracks: 30 Duration: 1:59:17 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 My Sunday Feeling (03:42) 2 Some Day the Sun Won’t Shine for You (02:48) 3 Beggar’s Farm (04:20) 4 Move on Alone (01:58) 5 Serenade to a Cuckoo (06:11) 6 Dharma for One (04:15) 7 It’s Breaking Me Up (05:04) 8 Cat’s Squirrel (05:43) 9 A Song for Jeffrey (03:23) 10 Round (00:48) 1 A New Day Yesterday (04:09) 2 Jeffrey Goes to Leicester Square (02:11) 3 Bourée (03:47) 4 Back to the Family (03:49) 5 Look Into the Sun (04:21) 6 Nothing Is Easy (04:24) 7 Fat Man (02:52) 8 We Used to Know (03:59) 9 Reasons for Waiting (04:06) 10 For a Thousand Mothers (04:13) 1 With You There to Help Me (06:26) 2 Nothing to Say (05:18) 3 Alive and Well and Living In (02:52) 4 Son (02:57) 5 For Michael Collins, Jeffrey and Me (03:57) 6 To Cry You a Song (06:16) 7 A Time for Everything? (02:48) 8 Inside (03:52) 9 Play in Time (03:53) 10 Sossity, You’re a Woman (04:41) |
 | Album: 46 of 50 Title: Living With the Past / Nothing Is Easy: Live at the Isle of Wight 1970 Released: 2014 Tracks: 29 Duration: 2:14:43 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Intro (00:22) 2 My Sunday Feeling (04:00) 3 Roots to Branches (05:34) 4 Jack in the Green (02:40) 5 The Habanero Reel (04:03) 6 Sweet Dream (04:54) 7 In the Grip of Stronger Stuff (02:57) 8 Aqualung (08:20) 9 Locomotive Breath (05:26) 10 Living in the Past (03:27) 11 Protect and Survive (01:01) 12 Nothing is Easy (05:16) 13 Wond’ring Aloud (01:54) 14 Life is a Long Song (03:32) 15 A Christmas Song (03:05) 16 Cheap Day Return (01:12) 17 Mother Goose (01:57) 18 Dot Com (04:28) 19 Fat Man (05:06) 20 Some Day the Sun Won’t Shine for You (04:13) 21 Cheerio (01:36) 1 My Sunday Feeling (05:20) 2 My God (07:30) 3 With You There to Help Me (09:58) 4 To Cry You a Song (05:40) 5 Bourée (04:34) 6 Dharma for One (10:10) 7 Nothing Is Easy (05:36) 8 Medley: We Used to Know / For a Thousand Mothers (10:37) |
| Living With the Past / Nothing Is Easy: Live at the Isle of Wight 1970 : Allmusic album Review : This two-fer from the classic rock radio staples includes a pair of live offerings. 2002’s Living with the Past found Ian Anderson and company delivering a collection of live numbers from 2001, most of which were culled from a performance at Londons Hammersmith Apollo, while the self-explanatory Nothing Is Easy: Live at the Isle of Wight 1970 offers up a nice snapshot of the groups less progressive, blues-based hard rock period. | ||
 | Album: 47 of 50 Title: Original Album Series Released: 2014-08-05 Tracks: 48 Duration: 3:31:44 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Songs from the Wood (04:54) 2 Jack‐in‐the‐Green (02:31) 3 Cup of Wonder (04:34) 4 Hunting Girl (05:12) 5 Ring Out, Solstice Bells (03:46) 6 Velvet Green (06:04) 7 The Whistler (03:31) 8 Pibroch (Cap in Hand) (08:36) 9 Fire at Midnight (02:33) 1 …And the Mouse Police Never Sleeps (03:13) 2 Acres Wild (03:25) 3 No Lullaby (07:55) 4 Moths (03:27) 5 Journeyman (03:57) 6 Rover (04:16) 7 One Brown Mouse (03:23) 8 Heavy Horses (08:56) 9 Weathercock (04:02) 1 North Sea Oil (03:11) 2 Orion (03:58) 3 Home (02:45) 4 Dark Ages (09:13) 5 Warm Sporran (03:34) 6 Something’s on the Move (04:27) 7 Old Ghosts (04:23) 8 Dun Ringill (02:41) 9 Flying Dutchman (07:45) 10 Elegy (03:34) 1 Crossfire (03:55) 2 Fylingdale Flyer (04:35) 3 Working John – Working Joe (05:04) 4 Black Sunday (06:35) 5 Protect and Survive (03:36) 6 Batteries Not Included (03:52) 7 Uniform (03:34) 8 4.W.D. (Low Ratio) (03:42) 9 The Pine Marten’s Jig (03:28) 10 And Further On (04:20) 1 Beastie (03:58) 2 Clasp (04:18) 3 Fallen on Hard Times (03:15) 4 Flying Colours (04:40) 5 Slow Marching Band (03:40) 6 Broadsword (05:03) 7 Pussy Willow (03:55) 8 Watching Me Watching You (03:41) 9 Seal Driver (05:11) 10 Cheerio (01:16) |
| Original Album Series : Allmusic album Review : This budget-priced box set from the prog rock/folk greats rounds up five complete albums. First up is 1977s Songs from the Wood, which is the first in a trio of fan-favorite folk-centric releases that included Heavy Horses (1978) and Stormwatch (1979), both of which are also included in the package. 1980s A embraced a more synth-based style, an approach that the band also utilized on their 1982 follow-up and 14th studio long-player, the largely critically panned Broadsword and the Beast. | ||
 | Album: 48 of 50 Title: Original Album Series: Volume Two Released: 2016-01-29 Tracks: 52 Duration: 4:13:49 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 Lap of Luxury (03:36) 2 Under Wraps #1 (04:02) 3 European Legacy (03:22) 4 Later, That Same Evening (03:52) 5 Saboteur (03:32) 6 Radio Free Moscow (03:41) 7 Nobody’s Car (04:08) 8 Heat (05:37) 9 Under Wraps #2 (02:14) 10 Paparazzi (03:47) 11 Apogee (05:29) 1 Steel Monkey (03:39) 2 Farm on the Freeway (06:31) 3 Jump Start (04:55) 4 She Said She Was a Dancer (03:43) 5 Budapest (10:05) 6 Mountain Men (06:21) 7 Raising Steam (04:06) 1 Kissing Willie (03:32) 2 The Rattlesnake Trail (04:01) 3 Ears of Tin (04:55) 4 Undressed to Kill (05:24) 5 Rock Island (06:54) 6 Heavy Water (04:12) 7 Another Christmas Song (03:31) 8 The Whaler’s Dues (07:52) 9 Big Riff and Mando (05:58) 10 Strange Avenues (04:09) 1 This Is Not Love (03:57) 2 Occasional Demons (03:49) 3 Roll Yer Own (04:26) 4 Rocks on the Road (05:32) 5 Sparrow on the Schoolyard Wall (05:22) 6 Thinking Round Corners (03:32) 7 Still Loving You Tonight (04:32) 8 Doctor to My Disease (04:35) 9 Like a Tall Thin Girl (03:38) 10 White Innocence (07:44) 11 Sleeping With the Dog (04:26) 12 Gold‐Tipped Boots, Black Jacket and Tie (03:41) 13 When Jesus Came to Play (05:04) 1 Roots to Branches (05:11) 2 Rare and Precious Chain (03:35) 3 Out of the Noise (03:25) 4 This Free Will (04:05) 5 Valley (06:07) 6 Dangerous Veils (05:35) 7 Beside Myself (05:50) 8 Wounded, Old and Treacherous (07:50) 9 At Last, Forever (07:55) 10 Stuck in the August Rain (04:06) 11 Another Harry’s Bar (06:22) |
 | Album: 49 of 50 Title: 50 for 50 Released: 2018-06-01 Tracks: 50 Duration: 3:40:31 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Nothing Is Easy (04:24) 2 Love Story (03:03) 3 Beggar’s Farm (04:17) 4 Living in the Past (03:21) 5 A Song for Jeffrey (03:23) 6 A New Day Yesterday (04:08) 7 The Witch’s Promise (03:50) 8 Mother Goose (03:52) 9 With You There to Help Me (06:18) 10 Teacher (US album version) (03:56) 11 Life Is a Long Song (03:18) 12 Sweet Dream (04:03) 13 Aqualung (06:36) 14 Minstrel in the Gallery (single edit) (03:51) 15 Critique Oblique (2014 Steven Wilson remix) (04:36) 16 Weathercock (04:02) 17 Cross‐Eyed Mary (04:10) 1 Bourée (03:45) 2 Dun Ringill (02:41) 3 Heavy Horses (08:54) 4 Hunting Girl (05:11) 5 Bungle in the Jungle (03:37) 6 Salamander (02:51) 7 Pussy Willow (03:53) 8 Too Old to Rock ’n’ Roll: Too Young to Die (05:39) 9 Songs From the Wood (04:53) 10 The Whistler (03:31) 11 Really Don’t Mind / See There a Son Is Born (05:01) 12 Moths (03:24) 13 One White Duck / 0¹⁰ = Nothing at All (04:36) 14 Cup of Wonder (04:31) 15 Ring Out Solstice Bells (04:05) 16 Skating Away on the Thin Ice of the New Day (04:11) 17 A Christmas Song (02:49) 1 One Brown Mouse (03:21) 2 Rare and Precious Chain (03:35) 3 Kissing Willie (03:32) 4 Rocks on the Road (05:31) 5 Fylingdale Flyer (04:33) 6 Paparazzi (03:47) 7 North Sea Oil (03:10) 8 Steel Monkey (03:35) 9 Black Sunday (06:35) 10 European Legacy (03:24) 11 Budapest (10:02) 12 Broadsword (05:02) 13 Dot Com (04:26) 14 Farm on the Freeway (06:30) 15 This Is Not Love (03:58) 16 Locomotive Breath (04:26) |
| 50 for 50 : Allmusic album Review : With five decades behind them, there are certainly plenty of career overviews and compilations to be had for listeners looking to indulge in the choicest bits of the stalwart British progressive folk-rock bands career. The aptly named 50 for 50 sees Jethro Tulls longtime director of operations, Ian Anderson, deliver his picks, which range from instantly familiar classic rock radio staples "Aqualung" "Locomotive Breath," and "Cross-Eyed Mary" to later, more stylistically diverse offerings like "Steel Monkey" (from 1989s Grammy Award-winning Crest of a Knave) and the Middle Eastern-tinged "Rare and Precious Change" (from 1995s Roots to Branches). Anderson had 21 studio albums to pull from, and he manages to pay homage to every one of them -- the inclusion of two holiday offerings from the groups 2003 Christmas LP, their last official studio album, feels a bit extraneous. While 1971s triple-platinum-selling Aqualung yields the most fruit, Anderson bypasses some of the usual greatest-hits fodder in favor of a more comprehensive playlist that caters to the bands long and genre-juggling career, from the bluesy hard rock of "Beggars Farm" and the bucolic English folk of "Salamander" to the garish synth rock of "Broadsword." For the average listener, any of the myriad single-disc excursions into the largely niche world of Jethro Tull should suffice, but for those looking to go a bit further down the rabbit hole, 50 for 50 offers up a lot more real estate to explore. [The three-disc set is also available as a condensed, 15-track collection titled 50th Anniversary Hits]. | ||
 | Album: 50 of 50 Title: 50th Anniversary Collection Released: 2018-06-01 Tracks: 15 Duration: 1:02:52 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Love Story (03:03) 2 Living in the Past (03:21) 3 Life Is a Long Song (03:19) 4 Sweet Dream (04:03) 5 The Witch’s Promise (03:51) 6 Aqualung (06:37) 7 Dun Ringill (02:42) 8 Cross-Eyed Mary (04:07) 9 Bourée (03:46) 10 Bungle in the Jungle (03:37) 11 Steel Monkey (03:37) 12 Too Old to Rock n Roll; Too Young to Die (05:40) 13 Ring Out Solstice Bells (04:06) 14 Farm on the Freeway (06:31) 15 Locomotive Breath (04:26) |